One feature of the ubiquitous celebrity culture is parasocial relationships. By no means is this a new concept, most social media users know what it is and are quite self-aware about it. But with loneliness and isolation becoming an epidemic, it's important to discuss one of its contributing factors.
A parasocial relationship is often the reason we like a celebrity and want to meet them. Encountering them in real life seems like a big event. You've admired this person from the comfort of your home for so long and now you get to tell them how much you've connected with their work. The catch? This relationship is not exactly equal.
For a long time, we thought of parasocial relationships as one-sided. It can happen with an actor I saw in a movie or a singer I watched perform on stage. The National Register of Health Service Psychologists writes: "Viewers experience a connection with the media user and express feelings of affection, gratitude, longing, encouragement, and loyalty towards them."
A parasocial relationship is not simply admiring and liking the work of a famous person. Licensed marriage and family therapist Jessica Leader tells Everyday Health: "It involves a level of commitment to a public figure where you even begin to view the celebrity as a friend or confidante."
Some people view parasocial relationships as only negative. It's true that it can sometimes turn exploitative and be used only for financial gain. TikTok users, for example, point out that Taylor Swift is "first and foremost, a capitalist". They claim she uses parasocial relationships to sell multiple versions of the same album and "overpriced tickets with VIP additions".
Perhaps the most extreme example of parasocial relationships in entertainment can be the K-pop industry. The idols nurture their relationships with fans through regular livestreams and posts on social media, creating “friendships” with their fans. Western artists use similar marketing tactics, but K-pop really takes advantage of this business model.
A clinical psychologist John Felix told Vice that parasocial relationships can become problematic when fans over-identify with their idols. "If your idols inspire you, make you happy and be a better person, then great. However, you must keep in mind that if your interest in them gets in the way of living your life productively, then you can consider it a red flag," Felix said.
Is it possible these relationships are not as one-sided as we think? Hank Green, online science communicator and one half of the vlogbrothers duo on YouTube, recently made a video about what he termed "sarapocial relationships."
People who become so-called celebrities and have a following feel a certain responsibility to their audience too, he says. As a person around whom an online community has formed and has been going strong since 2007, Green has an interesting perspective on this issue.
