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i just read a (frankly disturbing) thread of a young personal admitting they are in love with a cc and i just- i need to voice my concerns about this because im be also seen this behavior displayed from young f1 fans who are “in love” with drivers.
before i begin, i wanna state this is is in no way meant to attack one single person or group, and is instead meant to be an education commentary on what i see as very dangerous and unhealthy behavior.
now, i’ve said this before but i will say it again- the content and presence you see of people online, especially people of influence (cc, drivers, influencers, etc.) is extremely tailored and meant to “sell” something in a sense.
while using the term “sell” can come off extremely predatory, that’s not how i’m trying to use it. cc survive and thrive by supplying content that attracts a desired audience. they are attempting to make a community & build support for what they are doing.
drivers are doing the same, not just with us (their fanbase) but also in gaining sponsors and financial support so that they continue to pursue there passions. so, it only makes sense that they are only going to put out & share things that are marketable.
now, is this always the case? nowadays, no. i’ve noticed a big trend in influencers being much more honest, “real” and open with their life’s and their struggles. but this too can cause the same effect as above.
now to my main point. all of this information, all of this knowledge and interaction is being had through a screen, whether it be you phone, laptop, whatever. it’s not substantially real. you don’t actually know that person or creator, etc.
now you should say “what about friends i’ve made on x, y, or z platform? is our relationship not real?” to answer that, no, you’re relationship IS real as it hasn’t been former in the same way that your relationship has been formed within different parameters.
whereas with your internet friends it’s a two-way street of communication: both of you are contributing to this relationship, with a cc it’s a one-way street: they are feeding you content, entertainment, etc., but whatever you’re feeding back is not going to be received.
and when i say it won’t be received, i’m not saying it’s impossible for an influencer to acknowledge your love and support, but they’re view of your interactions is not with the same intentions as it would be with a new friend.
basically to some this up because it’s 2 am and i’m ranting: ccs are not your friend. influencers are not your friend. drivers are not your friend. not in the same way that your mutuals or irls are. to hold ideals other than this is extremely dangerous to you & your well-being.
(one more point: is it still possible to form friendship with influencers, etc.? yes, but only when both of your intentions are the same. you can’t try and be their friend or potential lover when they still just see you as a support or fan.)
(and if they still just see you as a fan and ARE trying to form a relationship with you, an explicit one... that’s when things get VERY dangerous.)
here’s a fairly recent journal that just examines & describes findings relaciones to youtubers and the formation of parasocial relationships https://thejsms.org/tsmri/index.php/TSMRI/article/download/364/167&">https://thejsms.org/tsmri/ind...
another interesting article about a study done on parasocial relationship with adolescents https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5322191/">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artic...
finally, a great article for those of you who don’t feel like wading through tease arch articles to find answers. https://thedailyfandom.org/are-parasocial-relationships-healthy/">https://thedailyfandom.org/are-paras...
