March 30, 2026
Homer, but make it influencer
Proactively Parasocial
Blogging to Bond: Cute connection or culty crush
TLDR: A blogger argues that writing can deliberately create one-sided “parasocial” bonds, from ancient storytellers to today’s feeds. Commenters split between calling it idol worship and seeing it as normal fandom, debating whether “proactively” nurturing that bond is honest connection or calculated marketing—and why it matters for how we relate online.
The blog post says the quiet part out loud: writing online is a way to proactively build one‑sided bonds—aka parasocial relationships. The author traces it from Horton & Wohl’s 1956 TV theory all the way back to Homer, arguing these connections are old, natural, and sometimes positive (think beloved authors, ancestors, heroes). But the comments lit up like a reality show reunion. One camp slammed the whole thing as emotional bait, calling it “idolatry” with a blue check of side‑eye. Another camp got philosophical, saying we often relate to a crowd—the faceless audience behind “hey r/something”—not just a person.
The real tussle: is “proactively” cultivating this bond authentic community or calculated branding? Critics say it’s manufactured intimacy—lonely people swapping real friendships for influencer feelings. Defenders clap back that fandom predates Wi‑Fi—books, radio, and stories always made us feel close—and that parasocial ties can inspire, not replace, real life. Jokes flew in: “Homer was the first influencer,” Odysseus “smash that like button,” and memes about being in a relationship with “the algorithm.” It’s part ethics debate, part meme fest, with everyone agreeing on one thing: the internet supercharges these bonds—and we can’t stop talking about it
Key Points
- •The essay defines parasocial relationships per Horton and Wohl (1956) as seeming face-to-face ties with media performers.
- •It broadens the concept to any instance of knowing about someone without in-person interaction, noting such ties are longstanding.
- •Technologies from spoken language and writing to radio, television, and movies amplify parasocial connections.
- •The internet and social media further proliferate parasocial relationships via wide distribution and engagement features.
- •Parasocial ties can be both problematic (substituting for real-life relationships) and productive (inspiring connections with authors, ancestors, heroes); blogging is proposed as a proactive builder.