By Jenny Tran & Sophie Vu
Hours spent constantly refreshing your Twitter feed. Hundreds of pictures cluttering your gallery. Eyes and ears trained to latch onto every movement and syllable.
At first glance, these behaviors may seem odd, maybe even borderline stalkerish. But to the inordinate number of fans around the world who closely follow their favorite public figures, it’s merely part of their normal routine.
With the rise of mass media and Internet influence in the past decade, parasocial relationships have grown to their peak. While it includes two people, this type of “relationship” is purely one-sided. That means all the emotional connection and intimacy is derived from only one party, while the other doesn’t know that the former even exists.
Although it may not seem like it, this concept is intertwined in many of our lives, even just vaguely. If you’ve ever been a fan of someone—whether they’re a movie star or singer or even YouTuber—you were bonding with them parasocially. You probably learned stuff about them from being a fan, which can range from their favorite color to the exact specifics of their morning routine.
Them, on the other hand? They probably don’t even know you exist.
That being said, although the number of parasocial relationships has grown, so has their noticeably bad reputation. The Internet has allowed fans to easily follow celebrities and keep updated on their day-to-day activities. However, this has also led to certain worries about growing too attached to public figures to the point where it can grow unhealthy and even obsessive.
If fans are so used to the relationship being solely run on their behalf, they might not be aware of the consequences if they were to breach boundaries with the other person. Some fans also often idolize their person to the point where they don’t really see them as human anymore. This dangerous mindset can lead to emotional devastation if the person ends up not living up to their high expectations.
These consequences should, of course, be incredibly emphasized and not encouraged. However, if fans manage to keep their distance and remain aware of their actions, a healthy parasocial relationship has an abundance of benefits. The good side of parasocial relationships is often dismissed, which leaves a dirty stigma in their wake. Even fans who keep a healthy barrier between themselves and their favorite celebrity may feel ashamed for having such an intense, one-sided likeness.
Being in a relationship that only depends on one person is not necessarily a bad thing. It’s nothing like a mutual relationship, where both parties are emotionally dependent on each other. Parasocial relationships don’t carry this kind of commitment, meaning that fans are able to love their favorite people from afar without worrying about breaking their trust or interacting with them.
That being said, even though they’re not technically “real,” parasocial relationships provide a safe environment for those who feel isolated. Especially for those who struggle with committing to real relationships, following someone from afar can help them feel alone.
Much like how people find joy in books or movies, people also often find solace in loving their favorite celebrities. These relationships provide an outlet of comfort for fans. And, by having a good model to follow, fans are also given the chance to understand themselves better through the lens of someone they follow.
Communities can also form around famous people, providing company for fans to flock to. Especially on the Internet, people can find others with the same interests as them and even share their own creative pieces, such as through means of fan art and fanfiction. Ironically, you can form real healthy relationships through parasocial relationships.
While parasocial relationships are often given a bad reputation, they can still provide an array of benefits as long as you are aware of how you are engaging in them. After all, practically all of us form parasocial relationships in our day-to-day lives, so it doesn’t make sense to hide them as long as you are keeping a healthy distance.
From that YouTuber you always watch to your favorite rom-com actor to even that news reporter you watch every morning, you shouldn’t be ashamed of your parasocial relationships.
