Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/The Cougar
Since the early 2000s, fandom culture has been steadily on the rise. This can be largely attributed to the popularization of things like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and K-pop groups. This sort of “geek culture” has expanded beyond the small groups it used to belong to.
While this has been great in regard to community building and giving artists the representation they deserve, it also has had some very unfortunate consequences. The globalization of fandom culture has led to far too many parasocial relationships between creators and their fans.
This may not seem harmful at first glance. So what if someone is a little too invested in the personal life of their favorite pop star, or particularly interested in the dating lives of the YouTubers they watch? It’s not like they’re ever going to meet them, so it should be fine, right?
Unfortunately, this is not the case.
Entitlement
A very recent example of the consequences of parasocial relationships can be seen with Chapell Roan, a singer and songwriter who quickly rose to fame in 2023 with the release of her debut album.
Since her massive spike in popularity, certain followers of hers have shown to act far more friendly than appropriate when meeting her in person or interacting with her online.
Roan has posted on TikTok and Instagram about some of the creepy behavior that fans have exhibited, from demanding hugs when encountering her to full-blown stalking of her and her family.
In her response to this, she emphasized that no fan is owed positive reactions from her, especially in cases of abuse and harassment. Interestingly, this message was met with pushback by some, with viewers calling her sensitive and claiming that she simply can’t handle fame.
The reality of this issue is that no one, regardless of how famous they are, should have to put up with that sort of treatment, much less be grateful for it. Any objections to this come from outright entitlement, which far too many fans have these days.
This idea that public figures owe it to their fans to constantly smile and nod at whatever may come their way puts them in danger. There have been far too many cases of parasocial relationships eventually going too far and resulting in the injury or even death of an artist.
Take John Lennon, or Christina Grimmie for example. Both artists were shot and killed by obsessive fans, and yet their stories clearly haven’t sent a clear enough message to some.
Celebrities are people, and those people do not owe anyone camaraderie or acceptance of intolerable behaviors whether it be from fans or otherwise.
Controversy
Another issue that comes with parasocial relationships is the adamant denial of wrongdoing by fanbases when a creator comes under fire. This is especially prevalent among fans of streamers as well as celebrities with larger followings.
Despite accusations of abuse and grooming, streamers Wilbur Soot, Dream and others within their communities have maintained steady fanbases that defend their actions without shame.
This is also the case with Taylor Swift, who has been criticized for her constant usage of private planes despite interviews where she claims to be horrified by climate change.
Certain fans of creators like these have taken it upon themselves to, rather than hold them accountable, either claim accusations as baseless or excuse them due to personal perceptions of them. Fans will sometimes acknowledge wrongdoing but insist that despite it, they’re still good people because they’ve donated to charity before or seem kind.
Unfortunately, this behavior fails to acknowledge that the personas we see online are not who these people really are.
No matter how kind and bubbly someone may seem on screen, the boundary between an online persona and a real life person can hide many secrets that no viewer will truly understand without personally knowing them.
To put it simply, online personalities are not your friends. From moderately popular artists on Twitter to the big names that sell millions of tickets worldwide, you don’t know the people you see online.
Fandom culture is great in many ways, but it becomes an issue when being a “fan” breaches into the personal lives of artists, or viewers decide to absolve them from consequences. No matter how much you may adore a singer’s music or an actor’s films, take care to remember that behind the face they put on for audiences, there’s a real person behind it.
Parker Hodges-Beggs is a journalism sophomore who can be reached at [email protected]
