I’m not saying there isn’t I’m just saying especially within the US it’s prevailing problem you can look it up in any psych journal that people are feeling more lonely. This is a systemic issue due to the way our cities are structured.
I think that parasocial relationships are definitely one of the ways we have coped with that.
Parasocial relationships have always made me really uncomfortable. Since longer than I knew the word for it. I avoid most social media because of this.
The other day I wanted to know if a band I like is touring. Searching took me to their Facebook, where there were a lot of personal posts by the singer. Her being like “I got a new haircut check it out” or “got dressed up for the party” or whatever. I’m just like oof I can’t be here. I don’t want to feel like I know this person when I absolutely do not. But if I stuck around and read their feed regularly, it would quickly feel like I was getting updates from a real friend. I just want to know if they’re going on tour or putting out new music.
Not to sound 105 but parasocial relationships as meaningful interaction bad.
It’s just adapting to a world that is less connected by building bonds in a way that can be maintained in a disconnected world.
Maybe it’s not all bad but I can’t help but think our brains are definitely wired for in-person communication and it’ll never totally fill that void.
Being an analog being in a digital world sucks.
There’s still plenty of real life happening, go look for it
I’m not saying there isn’t I’m just saying especially within the US it’s prevailing problem you can look it up in any psych journal that people are feeling more lonely. This is a systemic issue due to the way our cities are structured.
I think that parasocial relationships are definitely one of the ways we have coped with that.
Parasocial relationships have always made me really uncomfortable. Since longer than I knew the word for it. I avoid most social media because of this.
The other day I wanted to know if a band I like is touring. Searching took me to their Facebook, where there were a lot of personal posts by the singer. Her being like “I got a new haircut check it out” or “got dressed up for the party” or whatever. I’m just like oof I can’t be here. I don’t want to feel like I know this person when I absolutely do not. But if I stuck around and read their feed regularly, it would quickly feel like I was getting updates from a real friend. I just want to know if they’re going on tour or putting out new music.