Admiration vs unhealthy fixation

August 21, 2024

MANILA – Fame certainly comes with a price. About three weeks ago, I was having dinner with an actor/entrepreneur friend to discuss some of the challenges he was going through with his business. When he was approached by a fan asking to take a picture, he kindly refused and explained he was in the middle of a serious meeting. Instead of leaving, the fan went on Facebook Live to show her followers that she was standing a few inches away from her idol. Albeit very frustrated, he quickly said hello and then kindly asked the woman to stop so we could resume our conversation.

The idea of parasocial relationships, defined as one-sided connections that people have with media personalities, has been around since the 1950s. However, the advent of social media has significantly altered the landscape. Today, our 24/7 online behavior has greatly expanded the original concept. Social media has given us even more intimate access to the personal lives of famous actors and singers, as well as athletes, business founders, influencers, advocates—basically anyone with a public profile—making it easy to form these parasocial connections.

A good example is the public’s sudden fascination with Carlo Yulo’s personal life after he won two gold medals in the Olympics. Just a few months ago, many people barely knew his name. However, watching his triumph online and then discovering videos of Yulo as a young gymnast made some people feel they were always part of his journey. Following his victory, many became deeply invested in his story—now passionately weighing in on who he should date or how he should handle his challenging relationship with his mother.

Public personalities have strategically used social media to drive