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this post was submitted on 01 Feb 2024
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I just want to pint out the role parasociality likely plays in all this. You see it to a lessor extent in fandoms like Marvel or Star Wars, but these people have their identity all wrapped up in the things they see and hear, the talking heads and the talking heads problem.
We didn't evolve in a world of screens and taking voices. We only have so much of an ability to contextualize that the people on screens aren't us. So when some one had their entire being wrapped up in a parasocial relationship with Alex Jones or whoever, they lose the ability to distinguish what's happening to the characters or themselves. It's all the same.
Yup. The cries of "identity politics" from the right was just more projection. Because of course it was.
Good point.
But do you think parasocial identity is the cause here?
Because there is no amount of social media that is going to induce anyone I know to decapitate their father. It seems far more likely that this is an underlying mental illness (bipolar or schizophrenia) which will ALWAYS find an outlet, and which can EASILY cause violence in the victim.
That the narrative was parasocial is just a distraction.
If he had played dungeons and dragons in the 80s, he would have been a poster child for the satanic panic.
But none of that matters: we need better mental health education and resources.
No?
The parasocial relationship thing is just fuel to the fire. It may not be the cause, but that doesn't make it any less dangerous. Angry right wing conspiracy talk is like bait for people with these kinds of mental health concerns. It won't turn just anyone violent, but it obviously has served as the breaking point for a lot of people.
I agree that parasocial influences are a terrible influence on society.
But in cultures without social media (or even more clearly: pre social media) these individuals with severe paranoia or delusions would still find reason that was relevant to their cultural context.
Often it would be religion (also a terrible influence, IMO), but in irreligious societies, it would be delusions of being Luke Skywalker; or Superman.
I'm no social media defender, but spurious associations are easy, and witch hunts are the risk.
It's unlikely that there is a single cause. Human behavior is complex and has many influencing factors. I think we need to be careful about armchair diagnostics but I also did that evaluation (early 20s + extreme behavior shift + paranoia and violence = schizophrenia). The mental illness messes with how you think and react, the parasocial identity focuses and reinforces the thinking and paranoia.
Yes, we absolutely need better mental health education and resources.