Online Communities, Isolation, Obsession, and the Self
One could hope one day there’s a reckoning with parasocial communities surrounding celebrities, musicians, comedians, and podcasters alike - whom profit immensely off of their obsessions - especially since the pandemic when many began gaining traction amongst lonely individuals.
I’m currently writing on the subject and finding that however vulnerable seeming these communities may feel to the individuals (often anonymously), they are always, in the end, at the expense of the fans underlying mental state. This is especially true of the fans who have fallen off from their, often minimal, social circles and isolated further beyond recognition to even themselves, for the sake of their personal obsessive online communities.
“Why try to reach out to a real social circle when I can be apart of this incredibly active online community that gets me?”
Of course this wouldn't happen as much if isolation wasn't so normalized and typical in our society, with addictive technology/platforms counting on them to fade into the infinite scroll. Real life community is harder and harder for people to find, and, for that matter, keep.
From How to Make Your Brain Your Best Friend by Rachel Barr:
When faced with the messiness of building a life and identity, it’s tempting to latch onto anything that offers some semblance of clarity. We’re quick to jump in with both feet, throwing all our identity eggs into one basket in the hopes of solving our pesky existential challenges. The problem with this entanglement is that it makes change and growth incredibly difficult. When a lifestyle, ideology, or trend becomes entwined with our identity, it makes us resistant to change, even when change is necessary. We cling to outdated views or harmful habits because letting go feels like losing a piece of ourselves.
Unfortunately, this is a topic that is rarely commented on by those being praised upon, those in charge of the show. Why comment on a matter you're capitalizing on? You need to keep engagement, you need to be pressing people to binge for views in many of these spheres. In the case of podcasting, the most they throw at their base is a paltry “better help” ad (which also takes advantage of its users) and completely disconnect.
This kind of idolatry has always been around, obsessive behaviors are nothing new, but the current level of isolation that exists amongst fans, and which is counted on within these online communities (or illusions of real community), may be at a ceiling - ethically this should be at the forefront of priorities, yet persist…if only for the purpose of revenue. Many will say "that's just the way it is".
Further Articles:
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-social-media-is-ruining-relationships
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42087-020-00156-0#Sec6
https://www.gurwinder.blog/p/how-social-media-shortens-your-life