Livingston

Apr
25
2008

The Parasocial Phenomena

Parasocial: something beyond social norm. From Latin where para can have the meaning ‘beyond normal’. One example of this phenomenon is that someone who watches a soap opera over a period of time creates an illusion that s/he has a relationship to the television persona. These relationships can significantly influence and change people’s lives. This is generally perceived as an unconscious event, as the subject does not realize what is happening.*

It’s kind of fun being a micro nano B-List celebrity, especially if you don’t take it seriously. Social TNT Author Chris Lynn and I had fun with this at the Love 2.0 Engage web 2.0 party on Monday (see this 20 second video).

Yet, attendance at Web 2.0 parties this week in Silicon Valley and SNCR’s NewComm Forum reminded me of how strange this cultural phenomena is becoming in social worlds. Watching other relatively to extremely well known bloggers and executives get worshipped, hit on, and in some cases mocked and/or stalked, gives one reason to pause.

Social media lowers the bar for stardom, at lease within microcommunities. And as a result, people that may naturally be inclined towards becoming groupies, stalkers and trolls find themselves empowered. Identities are stolen, attacks occur, and mayhem ensues.

HootOwl_Golden_Gate.jpgPerhaps the most hilarious of these was this week’s hijacking of Shel Israel’s Owl named Hoot on Twitter. This comes after the whole (and pathetically continuing) puppet thing from Loren Feldman. The plastic bird’s fowl representation really shows the hilarious and absolutely silly nature of social media “stardom.”

There is no worse example of the absolute pathetic nature of parasocial than Valleywag a shameless virtual tabloid that chronicles the rise and fall of Silicon Valley rock stars. Having spent some significant time in Silicon Valley since the book was published, it’s easy to see how this rag serves a certain part of the population, both locally and from afar.

Living in a town where the Washingtonienne (a.ka. Jessica Cutler) and the Monica Lewinsky-inspired impeachment happened, where scandal rocks national and global governance, this seems so… Little League. At the same time, it’s very real and needs to be taken seriously.

In a fractured media environment, a certain percentage of the population in any micro-community will become parasocially attached to A, B and C-list stars in an unhealthy manner. It’s best to accept it, and start talking about what to do, if anything.

Some may say, “That’s the price you pay for fame and success.” This made sense to me when millions of dollars were being doled out to athletes and Hollywood stars. But most bloggers and social media successes don’t make more money.

So should we really tolerate parasocial behavior just because someone has a achieved a little nano success? Conversely, is it simply a part of the human condition? Or do we just love a success, and some take it way too far?

Sidenote: I actually saw Feldman at a party this past weekend, and at the behest of several friends, decided to put aside my original feelings expressed here and other places and say hello and a possible handshake. This was promptly dismissed with a snarl.

I’m not sure if this Tweet was a response, but it really doesn’t matter. Principles must supersede personalities. While I still strongly and openly disagree with Feldman’s continuing and unnecessary attacking of Shel Israel, civility matters more in the big picture.

* American Psychological Association (APA): Parasocial. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved April 24, 2008, from Reference.com website: http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Parasocial

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by Geoff Livingston | Blogging, Internet Marketing, Social Networks |

11 Responses to “The Parasocial Phenomena”

  • GeekMommy Says:

    April 25th, 2008 at 2:02 am

    So, if you’re polite in public to try and spare your mutual friends discomfort, somehow that means you have no integrity?

    Wow. That’s an interesting perspective.

    I guess I’ve been in too many situations where I’ve been polite and socially pleasant to people I’d sooner never sit in the same room with, because I can’t imagine professionals in a conference setting acting any differently than you did.

    I suppose we’re all in unchartered waters when it comes to the online/offline social media interactions… but I’d like to think that we could act with the same level of politeness I’m always trying to instill in my 5 yr old daughter.

  • Sherrilynne Starkie Says:

    April 25th, 2008 at 2:30 am

    I think Andy Warhol had it right all those year ago. And to use another cliche…this too shall pass.

  • Geoff Livingston Says:

    April 25th, 2008 at 2:30 am

    GeekMommy: Yeah, these attacks are often on this kind of level, or just baseless logic and name calling. I agree with you on the need for professional behavior, but the good news is I think Loren’s continued attacks are hurting him rather than harming those he thinks are hypocrites lacking “integrity.”

    Sherrilynne: Awesome quote, I use it myself. Thanks for the reminder.

  • Vinnie Says:

    April 25th, 2008 at 9:25 am

    A different perspective: You will not EVER get along with everybody. Life’s too short to waste your time on people you don’t like so why bother? You were trying to be nice and that’s cool but in this case I do think Loren has a point.

    Since you brought up politics, take a cue from some of the most successful politicians, who are defined just as much by those who hate them as those who love them. But they don’t let the haters get in the way.

  • Geoff Livingston Says:

    April 25th, 2008 at 9:31 am

    Vinne: Perhaps you misread my intent. I don’t expect friendship, nor do I want it. It’s not something I see as possible, but would be happy to be wrong. Since we are talking politics, even the most bitter of political rivals understand the purpose of shaking hands and smiling. You never see political rivals at a debate scream at each other before or after. They always shake hands.

    But thank you for your thoughts. I agree that if everyone you meet likes you, you are not meeting enough people ;)

  • Lewis Green Says:

    April 25th, 2008 at 9:43 am

    Geoff,

    Having once traveled with a rock band (definitely not of the famous kind), I saw this passion for living through another’s “fame” firsthand. I didn’t get it then and don’t get it now.

  • Tom O'B Says:

    April 25th, 2008 at 9:51 am

    Geoff:

    It is kind of funny/weird but it has real purpose. I am connecting with more people - and the cyberspace relationship is simply a warm-up act for a real, human relationship.

    Of course, as with all things, moderation can be important!

    TO’B

  • Robin Carey Says:

    April 25th, 2008 at 11:47 am

    Except Warhol (at 15 minutes) was definitely pre 2.0. It’s more like 60 seconds. Great post.

  • jeremy Says:

    April 25th, 2008 at 2:00 pm

    Taking the high road of civility is probably the best strategy always (as much as we would like to punch the guy in the face!)

    Your micro/nano stardom could be fleeting and the same rules apply to micro/nano celebrities as corporations with the ‘citizen marketer’ concept. You don’t need negative WOM tweets or posts, so just grin and bear it…and move on.

    As for the whole phenomenon, it happens in EVERY single sub-culture. My wife is an Israeli folk dancer and people aggregate around the ’stars’ of this world, which believe me, is just not that big.

    If you are big, others want a piece of it, for a variety of reasons. The key thing…stay humble to stay on top. My $.02.

  • Geoff Livingston Says:

    April 25th, 2008 at 9:54 pm

    Lewis, Tom, Robin and Jerry. Thank you all for commenting and your extra insights.

  • Arlen Says:

    June 24th, 2008 at 2:05 pm

    Vinnie, there’s a difference between simple civility and “wasting your time on people you don’t like.”

    In a public setting, such as a party, one should always be civil. Just because we smile and shake hands doesn’t mean we want to jump into bed with each other. Nor does it even mean we want to be in each other’s company beyond the 30 seconds or so it takes to do that.

    It’s always struck me that those who insist on baring fangs whenever and wherever they meet people they don’t like are like children who insist the universe must be ordered to their whims. We have to see and deal with people we may not be fond of every day. If you want to behave like a child, go ahead. Just call it what it is and don’t use a pretense of honesty to dress it up.

    Political opponents who are interested in getting things done meet with and even have friendly lunches with each other all the time. More good legislation has been worked out on the golf course than in all the public (or private) snarlfests combined.

    And just as an aside, anyone who equates a smile and a handshake with “sucking up” or kissing various anatomical regions is just too full of themselves to be possibly be interesting. The world is far wider than that. I’ve been sucked up to before, and *that* doesn’t even qualify as a warmup pitch.

    (And if it helps bring perspective to celebrity status, I’d never heard of either you *or* Loren Feldman before reading this post.)

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