This is becoming such a major and dangerous issue, thank you for writing this. I think the first time I really noticed it, for some reason, was when there was some sort of conflict between Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber. Unlike what I had seen before, their fans weren’t talking about talent or merit, they were comparing the personal decisions, relationships, and moral worth of these people, and they were as intimate and passionate in their criticism as if they really knew either of those women. It was shocking and so confusing to me, and I think you’ve done an excellent job of identifying all the reasons these relationships are so distorted and absurd now. There’s a quote by Sally Rooney that I like where she suggests that the void of godlessness in modern living caused celebrity culture to “metastasize to fill the gap” and that’s exactly what your article so perfectly explains. Great work!!
Blake, I am always in such awe of your research and work! It is aspirational for me! I recently listened to Ariana Grande's new album Petal which is a direct message to her parasocial fans. She, rightfully and furiously, calls out her fans' heavy scrutiny of her appearance and personal life over the years. She rejects their approval and chooses her own happiness instead. However, the album rollout has been nuanced with conversations surrounding her recent frail and underweight appearance. Some are weaponizing the album to point out how we are fixated on her body, others say we need to consider her influence over impressionable fans. I have lots of thoughts about it and you inspired me to consider writing about it!
Powerful. So many people see it, but are not brave enough to say it. Great read. And this is so true: “We don’t even worship people anymore, much less vote for them — just corporations wearing human skin.”
What I appreciate most here is the distinction between enjoying an artist’s work and constructing an entire private reality around them. Fame should not require surrendering basic human boundaries.✨
The corporate mask wearing human skin is the exact reality. Most people are completely starved for real human presence, so they willingly surrender their autonomy to buy into a the illusion of friendship. The second a creator or a politician weaponizes a crowd's loneliness for capital or power, the game is entirely hollow. Independent operators who refuse to play character roles are the only ones left standing. Brilliant breakdown, Blake.
This was such an interesting read. I think the way social media has blurred the line between admiration and personal attachment is one of the most fascinating (and concerning) aspects of modern fandom. We’re constantly encouraged to feel like we know public figures, when in reality we often only know the version of themselves they choose to present.
Parasocial relationships are just Costco friendships. For $19.99 a month: 3 vinyl variants, a hoodie, and your emotional stability, you too can feel like Taylor, Trump, or your favorite streamer knows you personally.
Benefits include: Conspiracy theories, Internet arguments, Financial regret, and a 0.0000001% chance they’ll notice your comment.
Excellent article. Thank you for your continued support of the @The Credible Account
This was a fascinating read. I really liked the throughline from One Direction to Taylor Swift to modern politics! As entertaining as it was, it also made your argument feel very cohesive. That last line ("we don't even worship people anymore... just corporations wearing human skin") struck me to the core. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR WRITING.
This is becoming such a major and dangerous issue, thank you for writing this. I think the first time I really noticed it, for some reason, was when there was some sort of conflict between Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber. Unlike what I had seen before, their fans weren’t talking about talent or merit, they were comparing the personal decisions, relationships, and moral worth of these people, and they were as intimate and passionate in their criticism as if they really knew either of those women. It was shocking and so confusing to me, and I think you’ve done an excellent job of identifying all the reasons these relationships are so distorted and absurd now. There’s a quote by Sally Rooney that I like where she suggests that the void of godlessness in modern living caused celebrity culture to “metastasize to fill the gap” and that’s exactly what your article so perfectly explains. Great work!!
It’s a deep and detailed piece, hats off!
Blake, I am always in such awe of your research and work! It is aspirational for me! I recently listened to Ariana Grande's new album Petal which is a direct message to her parasocial fans. She, rightfully and furiously, calls out her fans' heavy scrutiny of her appearance and personal life over the years. She rejects their approval and chooses her own happiness instead. However, the album rollout has been nuanced with conversations surrounding her recent frail and underweight appearance. Some are weaponizing the album to point out how we are fixated on her body, others say we need to consider her influence over impressionable fans. I have lots of thoughts about it and you inspired me to consider writing about it!
Please do! It sounds like a really interesting topic. Thank you for the very insightful comment. I'll be on the lookout for your piece!
Powerful. So many people see it, but are not brave enough to say it. Great read. And this is so true: “We don’t even worship people anymore, much less vote for them — just corporations wearing human skin.”
What I appreciate most here is the distinction between enjoying an artist’s work and constructing an entire private reality around them. Fame should not require surrendering basic human boundaries.✨
Loved the way you used modern pop culture to address current issues
Frr
the evolution of fandom you expressed through generations, from radio to Twitter is really satisfying to reached. subbed to read more ☘️
The corporate mask wearing human skin is the exact reality. Most people are completely starved for real human presence, so they willingly surrender their autonomy to buy into a the illusion of friendship. The second a creator or a politician weaponizes a crowd's loneliness for capital or power, the game is entirely hollow. Independent operators who refuse to play character roles are the only ones left standing. Brilliant breakdown, Blake.
This was such an interesting read. I think the way social media has blurred the line between admiration and personal attachment is one of the most fascinating (and concerning) aspects of modern fandom. We’re constantly encouraged to feel like we know public figures, when in reality we often only know the version of themselves they choose to present.
Its was such an amazing read. Thankyou for sharing!
Parasocial relationships are just Costco friendships. For $19.99 a month: 3 vinyl variants, a hoodie, and your emotional stability, you too can feel like Taylor, Trump, or your favorite streamer knows you personally.
Benefits include: Conspiracy theories, Internet arguments, Financial regret, and a 0.0000001% chance they’ll notice your comment.
Excellent article. Thank you for your continued support of the @The Credible Account
The fact that you drew this yourselffff and it was a phenomenal read. Bravo
I love the nuance of this article !
This was a fascinating read. I really liked the throughline from One Direction to Taylor Swift to modern politics! As entertaining as it was, it also made your argument feel very cohesive. That last line ("we don't even worship people anymore... just corporations wearing human skin") struck me to the core. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR WRITING.