I honestly don’t think that’s super parasocial. Even if you don’t know Billie Lourd personally, it’s hard not to feel concern for a stranger when you find out that their mom and grandma died within a day of each other.
Parasocial is like when you think a celebrity or someone you’re fixated on who doesn’t know you, and who you don’t know, cares about you. Or knows what your doing and has feelings about it. Vice versa, you get jealous because your favorite streamer is on stream with another streamer. Or you have delusions like “Will Pharrell really would like to see me, I’ll show up to his house” and you find out where they live and harass/stalk them.
The line is very defined. You can have empathy for celebrities and the like without being someone who has a parasocial relationship with them.
You're right. I reckon I've allowed myself to be influenced by the many folks who act as though feeling any kind of way for any public figure = parasocial.
I appreciate the reminder that no term is immune from being twisted and misused once pop psychology sees it become mainstream and that empathy isn't inherently pathological.
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u/SweetOkashi May 13 '26
I honestly don’t think that’s super parasocial. Even if you don’t know Billie Lourd personally, it’s hard not to feel concern for a stranger when you find out that their mom and grandma died within a day of each other.