By: Allison Grundy
A parasocial relationship is when one person feels a connection toward another person, even though the relationship is one-sided. Parasocial relationships can also be the relationship someone has with an influencer, celebrity or public figure.
These relationships go a step beyond being a fan of someone’s work. Examples would be those who vehemently defend celebrities’ wrongdoings online or those who give excessive amounts of money to online entertainers. The key is that in healthy relationships, the dynamic is give and take. Many tend to give too much and receive so little in a parasocial relationship in terms of time, attention and compassion. And in the worst cases, individuals are more susceptible to exploitation through scams and fraudulent schemes.
Celebrities, politicians, influencers and other figures may be talented, creative and interesting; however, the level of devotion they deserve is far below the loyalty often displayed to them. Anyone with power (and fame is a kind of power) should be regarded critically — not with unconditional devotion — because unfortunately, many will take advantage of those loyal followers.
For example, on February 14, President Javier Milei of Argentina was allegedly involved in a cryptocurrency scandal, according to an NBC News article. The president had promoted the crypto on his social media, and it quickly dropped and some traders lost up to a million dollars. Milei denies he is at fault for those who lost money in this project due to the nature of the type of investment, but he may face impeachment trials due to his actions, according to a BBC article. Many others don’t face any consequences for their scams.
Countless similar frauds have been promoted by influencers, podcasters, politicians and online personalities. Their own victims are those who admire them enough to invest in their projects. Since the rise of cryptocurrency in 2011, tens of thousands of new crypto coins have been released into the market. And since that rise, hundreds of crypto projects have turned out to be scam coins and many more turned out to be abandoned or never traded. The continuation of these frauds points to the fact that fans put too much trust in these people.
It’s easy to get caught up in the illusion of a parasocial relationship. You see their posts, watch their videos and start to feel like you know them, but it’s all one-sided.
These parasocial interactions are harmful because they feel real, but they’re not. It leads people to put themselves in a vulnerable situation and run the risk of being scammed; there is also a fake sense of connection.
It’s important to remember that celebrities and influencers are not your friends. They are public figures who are trying to sell you something, whether it’s a product, an idea or just their image. Don’t let parasocial relationships consume your time or energy. Focus on building real connections with people you know and love who can know and love you in return.
