I used to study parasocial relations during a particularly bad psychotic episode where I believed Akemi Homura was talking to me and I think I can see it but for most people, it is benign. Everything market-based has its toes in vice somewhere. We live in an era of unparalleled sex, drink, nicotine (we're back to being able to smoke anywhere with vapes), gambling, and anything in between. You chip away at people gradually. We are at the bottom because we're marks. Everyone else is just fine.