Words by: Kandra Zaw
Graphic by: Nash Peña
With the help of social media, it is easy to feel as if we know the people on the other side of the screen. Not to mention with Wikipedia constantly being updated and with websites such as Famous Birthdays, it is easy to believe that the celebrity or influencer is truly our friend when we know almost “everything” about them. This does not apply only to real-life celebs but even to fictional pieces of media. Sites such as Tumblr, Archive of Our Own, and even Wattpad allow their users to become fully immersed in that world. With addicting social media features such as a notification bell or subscription, it is easy to keep up with almost anything and never miss out on any posts. Thus, parasocial relationships are born out of this.
Declaring Timothée Chalamet as your husband is totally fine (I am personally guilty of doing this), but when your screen time reaches 8 hours a day solely because of the amount of time spent on TikTok watching edits of him, and the only piece of media you can now consume are self-insert fanfictions, that is when the problem arises. Oftentimes, “fans” who have these obsessive traits are just looking for a way to escape their own reality. They let their current hyper-fixation consume them, some even loving this celebrity more than their own families or friends.
Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and BTS are just some of the few well-known artists with massive cult followings. Once again there is nothing wrong with liking these artists or claiming to be a part of their fandom, but the real issue arises when fans fail to hold their favorites accountable or are way too quick to defend them if they are ever criticized or accused of something. Some fans even go as far as doxxing anyone who criticizes their artists, all because they know they will have support from their fellow stans online.This also holds the same weight regarding influencers.
With influencers, it is even easier to feel as if they are truly your friends. Influencers such as Alix Earle who gained their platform through content such as Get Ready With Me, it feels as if we are on a FaceTime call with her and just getting ready as any pair of friends are. This leads to them failing at real life relationships, instead of building a familial bond or cherishing their friends these stans scroll for hours on platforms like Twitter, essentially becoming out of touch with their own realities.
Being a fan is supposed to be fun. Going to concerts, getting merch, and watching a few edits here and there. It is something one can look forward to. However, this fun becomes creepy and obsessive when one starts to act like they know the person on the other side. It is important to remember that celebrities are people too and that we will never know their authentic selves unless some miracle occurs and we actually become acquainted.
Additionally, who is to say these celebrities are not putting up a facade to gain said fans? For all we could know it could just be an act; at the end of the day, it is their job to engage with the public. Likewise, it is a fan’s job to remember that no celebrity is worth jeopardizing our values and to not become overly consumed with whatever content we engage with.