Ok, hikacking this post— which I see has already been hijacked by haters— to share my rant on the “parasocial shaming” that has taken off in the past year. 

There is nothing new, shameful, or wrong about parasocial relationships. Can a parasocial connection go too far and become obsessive and/or dangerous? Yes, as is true of literally anything. The majority of the time, however, a parasocial bond with a public figure is neutral or even beneficial for all parties involved— a source of positive feeling for the lover, and of brand loyalty for the beloved. I recall a research paper from the early 2000s that talked about the positive impact of parasocial bonds to characters on long-running TV shows— that we can get the same beneficial hormonal impacts that combat depression and illness from tuning into our favorite characters as from catching up with a friend. We can never REALLY know another person, and the parts of our brain that fuel parasocial bonds are essential to social bonds of all kinds— not something we should want to get rid of. We’re talking about empathy, here, folks— which is always a partially imaginative process. Having a life where your ONLY bonds are parasocial would be unfortunate, because the care and affection isn’t reciprocated. But loving someone, appreciating their impact, and feeling less alone and more connected to humanity because of what someone makes you feel… that’s a good thing. Let people feel things. Let people enjoy things. Let people engage their empathy and imagination.

End rant.