‘Parasocial’ has been announced as the Cambridge Dictionary Word of the Year.
It is described by the dictionary as “a connection that someone feels between themselves and a famous person they do not know”.
A parasocial relationship takes many forms. From someone just being a mere superfan to someone being completely obsessed, these relationships fall under the ‘parasocial’ umbrella.
The issue with this parasocial relationship is that the parties involved become fixated on what they believe is a ‘friendship’ or a ‘bond’ when it, in fact, does not exist.
This idea of a parasocial relationship, whether it be with a singer, actor or influencer, has become a common fixation for many and goes beyond the boundaries of a ‘fandom’.
The notable fandom that comes to mind with this discussion is, of course, ‘Swifties’. The unfathomable height of Taylor Swift’s fame has resulted in a more than passionate cult-like following that has ‘parasocial’ written all over it. Buying dozens of album variants is one thing, but partaking in constant analysis of the singers’ romantic relationships is another.
When you see these alleged fans writing public letters and creating petitions demanding she break up with a partner, or hosting ‘engagement parties’ to celebrate Taylor and Travis’ engagement, you, of course, must question the nature of this relationship.
While crazed fan culture tends to exist in its own bubble online, these habits often find themselves in the real world, taking this concept of ‘parasocial’ to the next level.
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This kind of fan-obsessed one-sided relationship has existed for years before, so why now is it in the spotlight?
The concept of parasocial relations has only become more relevant in recent times, a big reason for such is the use of chatbots. These chatbots have made parasocial relationships only more accessible and are a harmful result of ‘fan culture’.
An ‘illusion of a relationship’ is created, with individuals feeling a meaningful connection with what they believe is the celebrity, public figure or fictional character that they have an attachment to.
This kind of relationship has been proven to be dangerous and, of course, causes great mental harm to those who fall deep into these engagements. Over the past year, there have been repeated incidents with these AI chatbots that have resulted in the AI apps and platforms getting caught up in lawsuits and changing their user policies.
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One of the most popular platforms, character.ai has over 20 million active monthly users. This issue is bigger than you may think. A study has shown that 370,000 adults in Ireland have pursued a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot. Not to mention that one of the most popular platforms, character.ai has over 20 million active monthly users.
This integration with people and technology only fuels the extremities of parasocial relationships, which takes this one-sided connection to an incomprehensible length.
‘Parasocial’ taking the title as Word of the Year is no surprise, given the role it has played in changing relationships both real and fake as we know them.
Words by Leah Foran