Hot take: Social media is the means by which all relationships become parasocial. Even if you know a personal IRL, your interaction with them online is asymmetrical, because you only ever interact with a curated version of them: affection directed toward a shadow.
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'Blurred' is the crucial term here. I think "all relationships become parasocial" is far too general to include the variety of ways people navigate their digital relationships. The argument seems to fall into a trap of extrapolating universality from particulars.
Agreed. I'm sweating under the heat of my own hot take here. I guess my main concern is the growing commodification of personhood in general. Social networks prioritise the creation of a personal brands, and exploit the language of authentic relationships to thrive on misery.
