In the modern age, media consumption is at an all-time high and even more so these past few years. Many blame the pandemic for the rise in media consumption; while everyone was on lockdown, that’s all people were able to do. Due to this overconsumption of media that’s hyper-focused on user-created content, parasocial relationships have reached an alarming high. With the increasing prevalence of social media, more people are feeling connected and entitled to those they’ve never met; these relationships can have significant consequences for both the creator and consumer.
Parasocial Relationships
A parasocial relationship is a one-sided relationship that someone has with a person that they don’t know, but with whom they feel a strong connection. The first person may feel in some way that they know or are even friends with the other person. This describes the way that people tend to view and treat celebrities. Deep fascination with celebrities isn’t new. When people saw Michael Jackson, Prince, The Beatles, or another artist they were fans of, they would go crazy with excitement.
While parasocial behavior isn’t new, it’s never been quite as widespread as it has been with the presence of social media. Now, with so much access to their favorite celebrities, people can see what celebrities are having for lunch, where they live, and how they’re spending their time alone and with their families in pictures that would previously be considered private. People can see how celebrities interact with each other and their families and friends in their social media comment sections; they sometimes even get to know their thoughts and opinions on controversial topics. The age of celebrity has broadened, and people can connect with celebrities on a more personal level.
One would think this veil being lifted would decrease a celebrity’s glamor, but in fact it has done the opposite, increasing people’s obsession with that celebrity. People have also become accustomed to consuming content created by everyday people like them. Someone could sit in their bedroom, start a YouTube account, and in the next year become someone with millions of followers who get stopped in the streets for photos.
Instant fame is much more accessible than ever before and shows how jarring parasocial relationships are, even more so than with traditional celebrities. The increase in celebrities overall, the rise of influencers, and the elevation of social media’s importance in society have all contributed to the problem of parasocial relationships.
The Effects of Parasocial Relationships
In recent years, more and more people have been researching, investigating, and discussing the interesting social dilemma that parasocial relationships present. The Cleveland Clinic has identified three types of parasocial relationships: entertainment-social, intense-personal, and borderline-pathological.
Entertainment-social parasocial relationships involve simply being a fan of a celebrity; they’re very common and normally harmless. Intense-personal relationships involve an obsession with a celebrity or influencer, feeling like you know them, are best friends with them, or are in love with them; they’re not quite as common as entertainment-social ones. The least common and most dangerous form of parasocial relationships is classified as borderline-pathological, in which a person is out of control with their emotions; their behavior exhibits a level of stalking and could lead to dangerous or fatal behavior.
Though these pseudo-relationships are normalized in modern society, they can be unhealthy, harmful, and damaging for the person in the parasocial relationship and the subject of that relationship. The obsessions that people have with watching their favorite celebrities on social media can have negative long-lasting effects, including making the celebrities themselves deeply uncomfortable. Recently, singer Chappell Roan called out these relationships in regards to her fans feeling too familiar with her. Many other celebrities, including Justin Bieber, Beyoncé, and Micheal Jackson, have spoken out about the violation of parasocial relationships as well.
Potential Positives
While many are concerned by the rise of parasocial relationships and “Stan culture,” Time Magazine released an article in 2023 that was in defense of these relationships. Focusing more on the positive aspects of these relationships, the article argues that fandom spaces, usually revolving around media or celebrities, provide a community for like-minded individuals that can sometimes make people feel less isolated and improve mental health.
Even if the fandom is based on fictional media, it can sometimes bleed into a fandom for the real actors or actresses who play the fictional characters. It’s all so blended and intertwined that the article argues that parasocial relationships aren’t inherently a bad thing. This is certainly one perspective to consider.
Final Thoughts
While parasocial relationships can have negative or positive attributes, the negative seems to be outweighing the positive right now. With the rise of Stan culture and people being willing to abandon their morals to please celebrities they’ve never met, the behavior is concerning. Being mindful of your consumption and the way you think of those who do not know you would help to keep the parasocial relationship in a healthy range, rather than something toxic for all involved.
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