>>23722645A parasocial relationship is the illusion of intimacy, friendship, and/or identification with a media personality of some kind experienced by members of an audience. That's all. That can be positive, that can be negative. The basis of being a streamer is centered around building this parasocial relationship with the viewer in the form of friendship, despite how many streamers keep parroting that they're "not your friend" and "parasocial bad", etc etc. Pretty much everyone feels some form of a parasocial interaction with media personalities because that's just human nature, we assume things about people based on what information we hear and grow attached to people we hear things we like about often. It's why "celebrities" even exist and why anyone even gives a shit about their personal lives at all. It's why brands try to be "relatable" nowadays.
Parasocial doesn't imply obsessive on its own. It doesn't imply romantic feelings on its own.
