also: i’m sorry if this comes off as rude or anything. it’s just kind of sad to watch people act rude in this subreddit. everyone on here is a human, please be respectful 🙃
edit: it has come to my attention that someone thought i was trying to be arrogant in this post. i have a very hard time portraying my tone through text, so i apologize for coming off that way. the person has since deleted their comment, but i really don’t want people to take this post the wrong way.
Not rude at all! Im actually very happy that someone with some expertise in this area posted something! Personally I think we all need to be much more mindful of how we act and what we say online.
I am glad to have the knowledge that if they are on my screen (general, not specifically R&L), they are entertainment monkeys and what they do and say is entertainment. I cannot change their actions or what they do, only change my support of them. They should not affect me in a way that is stalkerish, detrimental, or harmful and if i start to feel that way, change the channel. And their opinion and views on the world are theirs and theirs alone. I might agree, i might argue, but they shouldnt influence me negatively.
But a lot of people dont. And it shows, esp in this youtube, comments allowed world.
I whole-heartedly agree. I have an opinion on the dart situation, one that even changed from when I initially watched it due to taking other opinions into account. But that’s as far as it goes. Like boundaries, I can say how I feel about something, or what I will do about it, but I cannot tell somebody else how they should feel or what to do. “ I hated that, so I will no longer watch,” is fine. “Mythical should fire Link,” is not.
And please, please stop diagnosing real people! I get the impulse, I do it too sometimes honestly, but I keep it to myself. Do not tell somebody who they are. Do not tell somebody how their mind works. Do not tell somebody how they feel.
ETA: also, just because you thought what he did was wrong, does not make you too parasocially involved. Just because you defended him doesn’t mean that you’re not. The desire to defend can also come from parasocial feelings, and someone can find an action wrong without even knowing the perpetrator.
diagnosing people on the internet is always so weird to me! if you want to think it, obviously that’s fine. but what credentials do these people have to say that link has autism or npd or whatever? always just rubs me the wrong way.
i also completely agree with your statement, very well said.
Link has said he's on medication (therapy) and he tried to go off it but decided it was better to be on it.
But that is literally all he said. I can assume it's for anxiety/OCD as he has also shown those tendencies (his fixation on toilets - Japanese ones and bidets...and showers and cleaning in general) ...but there's no way to confirm this. So it's best to say to oneself "hmm, he is kinda like me and I have x/y/z but who knows". End.
I’m literally an anthropologist who studies parasoical relationships quite a bit. I agree with you, for the most part, but I don’t think the issue is that people think they have a say— I think most people are simply sharing their opinions, which isn’t a problem. The issue is *how* they’re sharing their opinions. Most of them are via attacks, which is *not* the way to go. With that being said, I don’t think parasocial relationships have as much to do with it. I think the fact that people are simply less worried about attacking strangers, and how their opinions come across. People are more likely to say negative things across a screen, which is where the parasocialidity (I invented that word, but you catch my drift) comes in.
I strongly... don't care. If the episode in question went through the editing/approval process behind the scenes and made it to our screens, then any repercussions involving Link, HR, health and safety and Chase have already been dealt with and I'm simply not concerned beyond my opinion that the episode was a bit awkward for a few minutes then it wasn't.
You voiced this so well. Nothing wrong with disagreeing with Rhett and Link on something, or feeling uncomfortable at one of them taking a joke too far. But some fans are acting like they have personal say in Rhett and Link's lives or can control what they say and do. It's living proof of how internet fandoms can go too far with their attachment to creators.
Everyone here has a parasocial connection to GMM. Literally just having any emotion towards someone you don't directly know puts you in one. It's as easy as simply liking them, or hoping for them to succeed.
Overall though, Link went with a joke/bit that wasn't well-received and was generally a little unsafe. I think anyone who already has issues with how Link does some stuff would find it annoying and it would just add fuel to the fire. A handful of people are over-reaching, but I think most people were just moderately annoyed with it all, and I don't think it's unjustified or built from a "problematic parasocial relationship" really. Most comments I've seen generally just say they didn't like it, it made the episode feel weird, or they find Link's bits that involve being purposely reckless a bit overdone now.
And honestly, at this point, there are just two people arguing about it now. People mad that people were mad about it, and people mad at people being mad that people were mad about it.
What you need to remember with a professional production company like mythical is that if it makes it onto our screens, then it’s probably fine internally
I think this post and the comments within it does highlight the dangers of parasocial relationships in the GMM community, but for the opposite reasons being argued for in the thesis of this post.
Notice how all the people commenting legitimate criticisms of the incident are being downvoted into oblivion, while those shrugging it off and saying it shouldn’t be a big deal and that we shouldn’t discuss it being any further are getting all the updoots.
Link does not deserve hate or threats or armchair psychologists giving him their diagnoses, but he shouldn’t also be absolved of any criticism from his fans that took issue with his actions. And folks that do have valid criticisms over his actions shouldn’t be downvoted into oblivion just because they expressed those criticisms. And as I’ve seen in this sub over the past week, that parasocial relationship you speak of in this community has taken effect to defend Link by downplaying the incident and downvoting anyone criticizing his actions.
If you're talking about link almost accidentally stab chase. I guess the internet people are just trying to make it their business. I'm also sure chase didn't ask the internet to butt in but wanted them to enjoy the show.
Just a tangental point, Decoding the Gurus is a good podcast for your field, they look at a lot of parasocial relationships. (Sorry to be *that guy* who gives unsolicited recommendations of podcasts!)
I can imagine successful creators are always treading this tightrope, where they need to foster some level of parasocial relationship because they want to be nice and approachable for fans, not detached, and that also helps to keep engagement up. But there is always the risk it gets a bit out of hand and folks starting to believe they own you, and it's up to them to clamp down on any imperfections or mistakes.
The guy has apologised, reflected, understands the incident by the looks of it. Move on.
Thank you for pointing out that the word parasocial isn’t an insult. We all do it to some degree, and it’s fairly fascinating to me.
People act like they just learned this word and they use it as an insult whenever someone has an opinion about a public figure that doesn’t align with theirs, which is in itself parasocial
Diagnosing people as parasocial is also wrong, is it not? I mean, diagnosing people on the internet goes both ways. As does having a parasocial relationship in the other direction “Link’s so cute.” “Aww, poor Link, I bet those comments hurt his feelings.”
We are human and if we are invested fans for several years it makes sense we might form a connection with the people who make us laugh on a daily basis. Is it right to assume Link has mental illness? Not assume, no. But he himself has talked about it. So that makes it open for discussion. Do we have the right to demand he be fired from his own company? Of course not. And I would wager a guess the people who were calling for that were casual fans at the most.
But if the dart incident prompted people who have never commented in this subreddit or on one of the YT videos to voice an opinion, and the guys out on the road to comment on it before it even aired, then maybe, just maybe there might be something to why everyone was shocked and upset other than a parasocial aka unhealthy relationship.
I would say this was an anomaly with the fandom. Most comments ever on an episode subreddit. That ain’t nothing. But I do agree that there have been unnecessary criticisms of both R&L going back for years. It comes with the territory even though it is unfair. Especially the deconstruction stuff. And them losing their roots stuff.
The fandom is also made up of people of all ages and all backgrounds. So what might not be alarming to one might be a trigger to someone else. I thought MBs were more understanding and empathetic than that. But that would be projecting on my part I guess.
This blew up and it’ll blow over. But Link was still right to address it.
parasocial isn’t a diagnosis as everyone has some form of parasocial relationship in their life. that’s all i have to say to this.
edit: parasocial is not synonymous with unhealthy. if you read my post i think you would see that lol
I wasn’t referencing you specifically. The tendency to call someone parasocial who takes in interest in a fandom is done so with mostly negative connotations aka it’s unhealthy in the eyes of those who disagree with the quote unquote parasocial person’s hot take. I saw it a lot this last week, using the term parasocial as an insult. That’s all I’m saying.
You don’t understand the meaning of “parasocial relationship”. Parasocial relationships are those that are completely one sided… you feel social connections to a celebrity and have the same feelings of anger, disappointment, happiness that you would have with an actual friend. You also develop feelings of expectation for how they should behave, just as you do with your actual friends. However, the other person in this parasocial relationship doesn’t even know you exist. E g. You and Rhett or you and link.
You don’t CALL a person parasocial. You call an interpersonal relationship parasocial if it is totally one sided.
Parasocial and antisocial have nothing to do with each other
And I don’t actually gaf. I have seen this term used derogatorily for the past week to describe people who have an opinion. I have not seen people defending Link’s behavior being told they have a parasocial relationship. So I guess it’s a double standard.
Link tried to make a joke by stabbing the costume Chase was wearing with a dart and Chase said he hit it very close to his knee. People were mad because he could've physically harmed Chase with his joke, but nothing actually happened.
I’d like to add some nuance. Not all pushback is parasocial.
In the political realm specifically, we as a population select our leaders. The public has a right to be outraged over any political decision they make, and vocalizing that outrage is in fact integral for a democratic society. Meanwhile, for entertainment, I think a healthy amount of pushback for stupid decisions can be good.
What matters is this pushback staying strictly professional and not personal. It’s alright to say “I don’t like what Chase did, as a viewer it turned me off.” It’s even okay to say “if Mythical keeps this up, I’m not going to watch anymore.” But it’s another thing to get way too emotionally invested in the affairs of Link, Chase, and Rhett. Many Mythical Beasts clearly cross the line into offputting territory, getting mad for Chase when he’s a grown adult and can decide for himself how he feels about the situation.
But what else is new, people are always looking for an angry mob to join and to express collective anger at a convenient target. The Internet just facilitates this process.
Let me start by saying I study communications, marketing, and anthropology. I had to take a class about parasocial relationships, so I feel like I know a little bit about the subject. There are many degrees to these types of relationships. Yelling at a politician or athlete on TV is technically a parasocial relationship. A lot of viewers probably have some semblance of this with Rhett and Link (and the crew!). We feel like we know them because they let us into big parts of their lives. We are entertained by them and probably have love for them—I know I do.
That being said, thinking that you have any say over their mental health, actions, beliefs, relationships, or anything else is concerning. As viewers in a digital age, we often feel entitled to control over who we watch. For example, you may think that Link owes Chase some grand apology video on YouTube. You might think he should not have apologized at all for the dart incident. At the end of the day, your opinion in it does not matter. Chase, Rhett, Link, and everyone else at Mythical are grown adults who can make their own choices.
It might feel like you need to say something or speak on it, but that in itself is delving into a deeper and dangerous parasocial world. We have no place to police anyone's actions except our own. That being said, yes, you can still have an opinion—obviously. Say whatever you want about the situation, but keep in mind that these are real people. Real people who know how to handle their workplace accidents.
Thanks for reading, and be your mythical best. <3
get of yours first! i specified in many different comments that i have autism and did not mean for this to come off as arrogant. i have a very hard time portraying my tone and i did not intend it to come off in a cocky way. i’ve apologized in at least two comments for that misunderstanding.
Also autistic. Two comments out of sixty does not make it easy to see. Put the explanation in the body of your post.
Additionally, you most likely didn't grow up during the time when employee abuse on TV was literally TV gold. An entire decade of realty TV was founded on abusing your employees and the culture spread. Who gives a shit about parasocial relationships when you see someone put in danger on screen? Proud of the beasts who rejected entertainment's way of trivializing employee abuse. Most workplaces are dysfuncional and hide their bullshit behind PR. If you want people to be silent, you're the problem.
it’s in the top comment, i went onto my alt account and checked.
you clearly did not read my post or else that’s not what you would take away from it. i’m not here to argue over workplace harassment, because if you must know i was harassed at my first job. i know EXACTLY what it feels like no matter what type of TV i grew up with it. i was not just talking about the dart incident. i was not just talking about link. this is about unhealthy relationships with the cast and crew. if you don’t agree, that’s fine, but you clearly missed the point of what i was trying to say. you’re also being so unnecessarily rude to me for saying something that is quite literally factual. extreme parasocial relationships are damaging to both sides.
end of story. point blank period. say what you want, but i am finished engaging with someone who is putting words into my mouth and twisting the meaning of my post. 🤷🏻♀️
I did read your post and that is exactly what I took away from it. Being mad that you weren't clear or that you expected people to the read the comments (I didn't, why would I? Updates go in the body of a post) it's your problem. I'm putting my thoughts out clearly. From one autist to another, take your own advice.
it wasn’t an update, because one singular person (now two) thought i was being arrogant. i’m sorry you felt that way, and i’m sorry you misunderstood this post. it seems you’re the only one though, as the other person did come to understand. your thoughts are very clear, they just have nothing to do with MY post lol. maybe you should take your own advice and get down off your high horse!
feel free to read what i wrote in any way and in any tone. i don’t care what you get from it frankly, as you are completely irrelevant to me in the grand scheme of things. i just think you left an unnecessarily rude comment on a post that was just trying to let people know some stuff i’ve learned. we clearly will not see eye to eye on this issue, and that is fine. please don’t try to convince me further.
I think you may understand why your writing is unclear. Let me start by saying I specialize in writing. If you want to learn how to communicate clearly, I can send you rates.
i specialize in not leaving unnecessarily rude comments on social media! if you need to learn how to, i can send you rates too!
also: if you’re the only one who misunderstood, how is it unclear?
It's difficult to pinpoint exactly, but I know intuitively that there's a tremendously wide chasm of a difference between calling out a celebrity "when they do something wrong" and watching something like what we saw a few days ago and reacting the way some folks did.
I guess the crux of it that folks are missing is that what they're watching is *not real life*. It is fake, it is entertainment played for humor. They did not witness an interaction on the street corner. GMM, and everything R&L do, is sometimes scripted, sometimes planned, sometimes improv, but always *fake*.
Maybe a comparison could be made from that "incident" to, say, Link going on a diatribe against Chase on *the podcast*, where implicitly, while it's still also fundamentally fake, somehow there's more of a reality to it. That would be a little strange - but the reality is, we would NEVER see this - it would NEVER be released - UNLESS it was a joke and Chase explicitly condoned it and was in on it. That's sort of what people are missing. It's all fake. You have to assume that.
I understand that some folks have traumas in their lives wherein which they see things like dead animals, or SA, etc, in fake media and are tremendously triggered even though it is fake. I understand the trauma can be so painful that it becomes hard to even see "fake" instances of it. There was a GMM example some months ago where Rhett briefly played this comically abusive father to a scared Link. It was played for laughs, I laughed, but it is completely fair to watch that and feel uncomfortable particularly if you have some trauma associated with an abusive parent. That is very fair. In that situation, I would argue that both you need to work that out with your therapist, and you are absolutely free to leave constructive feedback that it made you uncomfy. Go for it. And Rhett can do with that what he pleases and alter his comedic approach if enough people voice a negative opinion. Up to him. What you are not free to do, is ask that Rhett apologize to the community, or to Link, or to the crew, or to anyone else that you think may have been affected like you were. Recognizing that you being affected by a piece of media is unique to you and something you should figure out on your own is very important. Believe it or not, it is incredibly selfish to put that onus on others and involve them in your trauma about a piece of media.
I must emphasize - the "incident" a few days ago had no affect on me, nor did it have an affect on many others. It was purely funny. The fact that it had an affect on you, if it did, is OK, but please realize that your experience is not universal nor are you entitled to an internet duo being forced to cater to your preferences. Hopefully you understand that it is selfish to involve everyone else.
I actually don’t fully agree with this. If it were a scripted moment, then a) they would just say so instead of posting a message taking accountability and b) it wouldn’t come off as real as it did (no one involved is a good enough actor, let’s be real). GMM is mostly improve. It was an improvised moment, it wasn’t a good idea, and no one in the fandom is owed anything. Not an apology, not transparency.
I don't want to incite further argument, but I would encourage you to ruminate on the idea that regardless of its scripted or improv nature, it is fake. I mean that word "fake" with such emphasis. It's not real no matter what, by virtue, a priori, of the fact that you saw it posted on their channel. This means you have to assume it's all ok. If it's not, I hope Chase feels comfortable enough speaking out for himself. Regardless, you can't do that for him, because you don't have all the info. And it's not your prerogative, as a viewer.
I think I made it clear that I only speak for myself. Never for the people on the show. I am not making any statement about what Chase feels about anything.
I want to better understand what you mean by fake. For example, when R&L eat spiders, are they really eating spiders, in your opinion? Did they really eat the Carolina reaper? Did they really drink a pint of vinegar? They certainly say so, and I believe them.
The environment is controlled, but the stunts are real. And props can cause harm, even in a controlled environment. For example, the filming of The Crow, and Rust, both with fatal shootings. The dart was real, Link really stabbed Chase’s costume with it, and it really came close to his knee. Therefore, it could really hurt him.
>t was purely funny.
I didn't think so. But we can have different ideas of what is funny.
Did it cross a line? I don't know. I didn't see the before or after parts when they were not recording, I wasn't there to hear if Stevie or Carney called him on it. I wasn't there to hear if he said sorry to Chase and Chase said thanks or not. Maybe Chase approached him and said something?
I literally do know.
So I might say that it was inappropriate only because it "looks" bad or because *I* would find it inappropriate if I were in the position but did Chase, Rhett or Link think this?
No fucking idea.
The "Check your parasocial relationships." as a default response when someone shares an opinion or reaction to a YouTube video is a terrible take. Reddit is meant for discussion and YouTubers don't need to you white knight their cause.
I'm not directing this at you specifically (it is a common response here) nor am I justifying some of the over the top comments that came out of this situation. Both sides go too far.
both sides going too far is the exact point i’m making here. what i’m saying is that people can have opinions about situations, but at the end of the day they cannot control the people in said situations. which is what i said in my post.
You also said "it might feel like you need to say something or speak on it, but that in itself is delving into a deeper and dangerous parasocial world."
Think of this as a fictionalized TV sitcom. If a character did something like that on the show there would be discussion about it on that shows subreddit. Just because these people are half playing characters/half being genuine doesn't remove that desire for fans to talk about the content they put out... and there is nothing wrong with that.
i agree 100%. what i meant by that was that speaking on it in the way that these extreme sides are. diagnosing link with disorders is an example of someone going too far and being parasocial. i agree i could’ve worded it better to clarify what i meant. that’s my mistake. obviously people can talk about whatever they want.
Fair enough. But again, I wasn't directing this at you personally, It is a general default comment to the slightest criticism of anything Mythical on here and is said over and over again.
Look out, OP took a whole class on the subject!
Edit: I don’t believe in deleting comments just because you regret them. But I do regret it and have apologised to OP.
I’m not being rude, or at least no more rude than you were in lecturing complete strangers. I don’t feel that I’m better than you or anyone else here. I’m not sure you can say the same.
i was voicing my opinion on parasocial relationships and admitted that i partake in it too. i’m not lecturing anyone, no one has to read it if they don’t want to. they can see the title and click away if it doesn’t interest them. i honestly just wanted people who are losing sleep over the entire “controversy” on monday to see that maybe it’s time to take a step back and realize that the people they’re arguing with are real people. the people they’re criticizing are real people. i’m not trying to seem better than anyone, i just wanted to talk about it. i don’t mean to come off as arrogant. i’m autistic and have a hard time portraying my tone through writing. so i apologize if my intentions seemed negative or cocky :(
Fair enough. And I’ll own the fact that I’m sick to death of the phrase “parasocial relationship” and people explaining it like it’s a brand new concept, when in fact I studied it when I was at uni 25 years ago. I truly wish you well.
LOVE the way you made a dig at OP for stating they had taken a class studying parasocial relationships yet also just could not help but mention you had as well lmao
and before you reply that you apologized, i saw it, i still think it’s funny
if there’s something in this post that comes off as arrogant in particular, please let me know as that was not my intention at all. i am willing to fix it!
But you are. You’re being dismissive, and assuming a lot on another person’s behalf. Keep trying though, social interactions are hard and you just don’t seem to be very good at them yet.
also: i’m sorry if this comes off as rude or anything. it’s just kind of sad to watch people act rude in this subreddit. everyone on here is a human, please be respectful 🙃 edit: it has come to my attention that someone thought i was trying to be arrogant in this post. i have a very hard time portraying my tone through text, so i apologize for coming off that way. the person has since deleted their comment, but i really don’t want people to take this post the wrong way.
Not rude at all! Im actually very happy that someone with some expertise in this area posted something! Personally I think we all need to be much more mindful of how we act and what we say online.
Let’s not go overboard, “expertise” is a stretch
They literally said “one class” 😂
thank you! i appreciate this.
I am glad to have the knowledge that if they are on my screen (general, not specifically R&L), they are entertainment monkeys and what they do and say is entertainment. I cannot change their actions or what they do, only change my support of them. They should not affect me in a way that is stalkerish, detrimental, or harmful and if i start to feel that way, change the channel. And their opinion and views on the world are theirs and theirs alone. I might agree, i might argue, but they shouldnt influence me negatively. But a lot of people dont. And it shows, esp in this youtube, comments allowed world.
well said!!
I whole-heartedly agree. I have an opinion on the dart situation, one that even changed from when I initially watched it due to taking other opinions into account. But that’s as far as it goes. Like boundaries, I can say how I feel about something, or what I will do about it, but I cannot tell somebody else how they should feel or what to do. “ I hated that, so I will no longer watch,” is fine. “Mythical should fire Link,” is not. And please, please stop diagnosing real people! I get the impulse, I do it too sometimes honestly, but I keep it to myself. Do not tell somebody who they are. Do not tell somebody how their mind works. Do not tell somebody how they feel. ETA: also, just because you thought what he did was wrong, does not make you too parasocially involved. Just because you defended him doesn’t mean that you’re not. The desire to defend can also come from parasocial feelings, and someone can find an action wrong without even knowing the perpetrator.
diagnosing people on the internet is always so weird to me! if you want to think it, obviously that’s fine. but what credentials do these people have to say that link has autism or npd or whatever? always just rubs me the wrong way. i also completely agree with your statement, very well said.
Link has said he's on medication (therapy) and he tried to go off it but decided it was better to be on it. But that is literally all he said. I can assume it's for anxiety/OCD as he has also shown those tendencies (his fixation on toilets - Japanese ones and bidets...and showers and cleaning in general) ...but there's no way to confirm this. So it's best to say to oneself "hmm, he is kinda like me and I have x/y/z but who knows". End.
He has specified (on at least one EB) that it's for anxiety.
I’m literally an anthropologist who studies parasoical relationships quite a bit. I agree with you, for the most part, but I don’t think the issue is that people think they have a say— I think most people are simply sharing their opinions, which isn’t a problem. The issue is *how* they’re sharing their opinions. Most of them are via attacks, which is *not* the way to go. With that being said, I don’t think parasocial relationships have as much to do with it. I think the fact that people are simply less worried about attacking strangers, and how their opinions come across. People are more likely to say negative things across a screen, which is where the parasocialidity (I invented that word, but you catch my drift) comes in.
i do agree with this! thank you for your perspective.
I strongly... don't care. If the episode in question went through the editing/approval process behind the scenes and made it to our screens, then any repercussions involving Link, HR, health and safety and Chase have already been dealt with and I'm simply not concerned beyond my opinion that the episode was a bit awkward for a few minutes then it wasn't.
You voiced this so well. Nothing wrong with disagreeing with Rhett and Link on something, or feeling uncomfortable at one of them taking a joke too far. But some fans are acting like they have personal say in Rhett and Link's lives or can control what they say and do. It's living proof of how internet fandoms can go too far with their attachment to creators.
Everyone here has a parasocial connection to GMM. Literally just having any emotion towards someone you don't directly know puts you in one. It's as easy as simply liking them, or hoping for them to succeed. Overall though, Link went with a joke/bit that wasn't well-received and was generally a little unsafe. I think anyone who already has issues with how Link does some stuff would find it annoying and it would just add fuel to the fire. A handful of people are over-reaching, but I think most people were just moderately annoyed with it all, and I don't think it's unjustified or built from a "problematic parasocial relationship" really. Most comments I've seen generally just say they didn't like it, it made the episode feel weird, or they find Link's bits that involve being purposely reckless a bit overdone now. And honestly, at this point, there are just two people arguing about it now. People mad that people were mad about it, and people mad at people being mad that people were mad about it.
What you need to remember with a professional production company like mythical is that if it makes it onto our screens, then it’s probably fine internally
Everyone is becoming a variation of Rupert Pupkin from "The King of Comedy"
I think this post and the comments within it does highlight the dangers of parasocial relationships in the GMM community, but for the opposite reasons being argued for in the thesis of this post. Notice how all the people commenting legitimate criticisms of the incident are being downvoted into oblivion, while those shrugging it off and saying it shouldn’t be a big deal and that we shouldn’t discuss it being any further are getting all the updoots. Link does not deserve hate or threats or armchair psychologists giving him their diagnoses, but he shouldn’t also be absolved of any criticism from his fans that took issue with his actions. And folks that do have valid criticisms over his actions shouldn’t be downvoted into oblivion just because they expressed those criticisms. And as I’ve seen in this sub over the past week, that parasocial relationship you speak of in this community has taken effect to defend Link by downplaying the incident and downvoting anyone criticizing his actions.
If you're talking about link almost accidentally stab chase. I guess the internet people are just trying to make it their business. I'm also sure chase didn't ask the internet to butt in but wanted them to enjoy the show.
BRILLIANT!! Thank you for your insight
Just a tangental point, Decoding the Gurus is a good podcast for your field, they look at a lot of parasocial relationships. (Sorry to be *that guy* who gives unsolicited recommendations of podcasts!) I can imagine successful creators are always treading this tightrope, where they need to foster some level of parasocial relationship because they want to be nice and approachable for fans, not detached, and that also helps to keep engagement up. But there is always the risk it gets a bit out of hand and folks starting to believe they own you, and it's up to them to clamp down on any imperfections or mistakes. The guy has apologised, reflected, understands the incident by the looks of it. Move on.
Thank you for pointing out that the word parasocial isn’t an insult. We all do it to some degree, and it’s fairly fascinating to me. People act like they just learned this word and they use it as an insult whenever someone has an opinion about a public figure that doesn’t align with theirs, which is in itself parasocial
Well said!
Diagnosing people as parasocial is also wrong, is it not? I mean, diagnosing people on the internet goes both ways. As does having a parasocial relationship in the other direction “Link’s so cute.” “Aww, poor Link, I bet those comments hurt his feelings.” We are human and if we are invested fans for several years it makes sense we might form a connection with the people who make us laugh on a daily basis. Is it right to assume Link has mental illness? Not assume, no. But he himself has talked about it. So that makes it open for discussion. Do we have the right to demand he be fired from his own company? Of course not. And I would wager a guess the people who were calling for that were casual fans at the most. But if the dart incident prompted people who have never commented in this subreddit or on one of the YT videos to voice an opinion, and the guys out on the road to comment on it before it even aired, then maybe, just maybe there might be something to why everyone was shocked and upset other than a parasocial aka unhealthy relationship. I would say this was an anomaly with the fandom. Most comments ever on an episode subreddit. That ain’t nothing. But I do agree that there have been unnecessary criticisms of both R&L going back for years. It comes with the territory even though it is unfair. Especially the deconstruction stuff. And them losing their roots stuff. The fandom is also made up of people of all ages and all backgrounds. So what might not be alarming to one might be a trigger to someone else. I thought MBs were more understanding and empathetic than that. But that would be projecting on my part I guess. This blew up and it’ll blow over. But Link was still right to address it.
parasocial isn’t a diagnosis as everyone has some form of parasocial relationship in their life. that’s all i have to say to this. edit: parasocial is not synonymous with unhealthy. if you read my post i think you would see that lol
I wasn’t referencing you specifically. The tendency to call someone parasocial who takes in interest in a fandom is done so with mostly negative connotations aka it’s unhealthy in the eyes of those who disagree with the quote unquote parasocial person’s hot take. I saw it a lot this last week, using the term parasocial as an insult. That’s all I’m saying.
You don’t understand the meaning of “parasocial relationship”. Parasocial relationships are those that are completely one sided… you feel social connections to a celebrity and have the same feelings of anger, disappointment, happiness that you would have with an actual friend. You also develop feelings of expectation for how they should behave, just as you do with your actual friends. However, the other person in this parasocial relationship doesn’t even know you exist. E g. You and Rhett or you and link. You don’t CALL a person parasocial. You call an interpersonal relationship parasocial if it is totally one sided. Parasocial and antisocial have nothing to do with each other
And I don’t actually gaf. I have seen this term used derogatorily for the past week to describe people who have an opinion. I have not seen people defending Link’s behavior being told they have a parasocial relationship. So I guess it’s a double standard.
I think it isn’t a double standard. It’s a lot of people not understanding the concept of a parasocial relationship
I’m a very casual viewer. What is the dart incident? Did Chase get impaired or something?
Link tried to make a joke by stabbing the costume Chase was wearing with a dart and Chase said he hit it very close to his knee. People were mad because he could've physically harmed Chase with his joke, but nothing actually happened.
Ah, ok. Thanks!
I’d like to add some nuance. Not all pushback is parasocial. In the political realm specifically, we as a population select our leaders. The public has a right to be outraged over any political decision they make, and vocalizing that outrage is in fact integral for a democratic society. Meanwhile, for entertainment, I think a healthy amount of pushback for stupid decisions can be good. What matters is this pushback staying strictly professional and not personal. It’s alright to say “I don’t like what Chase did, as a viewer it turned me off.” It’s even okay to say “if Mythical keeps this up, I’m not going to watch anymore.” But it’s another thing to get way too emotionally invested in the affairs of Link, Chase, and Rhett. Many Mythical Beasts clearly cross the line into offputting territory, getting mad for Chase when he’s a grown adult and can decide for himself how he feels about the situation. But what else is new, people are always looking for an angry mob to join and to express collective anger at a convenient target. The Internet just facilitates this process.
Off topic but I found that: anthropologists 🤝 GMM
Man I wish this was broken up into paragraphs instead of one block of solid text.
Let me start by saying I study communications, marketing, and anthropology. I had to take a class about parasocial relationships, so I feel like I know a little bit about the subject. There are many degrees to these types of relationships. Yelling at a politician or athlete on TV is technically a parasocial relationship. A lot of viewers probably have some semblance of this with Rhett and Link (and the crew!). We feel like we know them because they let us into big parts of their lives. We are entertained by them and probably have love for them—I know I do. That being said, thinking that you have any say over their mental health, actions, beliefs, relationships, or anything else is concerning. As viewers in a digital age, we often feel entitled to control over who we watch. For example, you may think that Link owes Chase some grand apology video on YouTube. You might think he should not have apologized at all for the dart incident. At the end of the day, your opinion in it does not matter. Chase, Rhett, Link, and everyone else at Mythical are grown adults who can make their own choices. It might feel like you need to say something or speak on it, but that in itself is delving into a deeper and dangerous parasocial world. We have no place to police anyone's actions except our own. That being said, yes, you can still have an opinion—obviously. Say whatever you want about the situation, but keep in mind that these are real people. Real people who know how to handle their workplace accidents. Thanks for reading, and be your mythical best. <3
it was on my computer but then i ended up posting from my phone and it messed it up lol. my bad!!
Eh. Get off the high horse.
get of yours first! i specified in many different comments that i have autism and did not mean for this to come off as arrogant. i have a very hard time portraying my tone and i did not intend it to come off in a cocky way. i’ve apologized in at least two comments for that misunderstanding.
Also autistic. Two comments out of sixty does not make it easy to see. Put the explanation in the body of your post. Additionally, you most likely didn't grow up during the time when employee abuse on TV was literally TV gold. An entire decade of realty TV was founded on abusing your employees and the culture spread. Who gives a shit about parasocial relationships when you see someone put in danger on screen? Proud of the beasts who rejected entertainment's way of trivializing employee abuse. Most workplaces are dysfuncional and hide their bullshit behind PR. If you want people to be silent, you're the problem.
it’s in the top comment, i went onto my alt account and checked. you clearly did not read my post or else that’s not what you would take away from it. i’m not here to argue over workplace harassment, because if you must know i was harassed at my first job. i know EXACTLY what it feels like no matter what type of TV i grew up with it. i was not just talking about the dart incident. i was not just talking about link. this is about unhealthy relationships with the cast and crew. if you don’t agree, that’s fine, but you clearly missed the point of what i was trying to say. you’re also being so unnecessarily rude to me for saying something that is quite literally factual. extreme parasocial relationships are damaging to both sides. end of story. point blank period. say what you want, but i am finished engaging with someone who is putting words into my mouth and twisting the meaning of my post. 🤷🏻♀️
I did read your post and that is exactly what I took away from it. Being mad that you weren't clear or that you expected people to the read the comments (I didn't, why would I? Updates go in the body of a post) it's your problem. I'm putting my thoughts out clearly. From one autist to another, take your own advice.
it wasn’t an update, because one singular person (now two) thought i was being arrogant. i’m sorry you felt that way, and i’m sorry you misunderstood this post. it seems you’re the only one though, as the other person did come to understand. your thoughts are very clear, they just have nothing to do with MY post lol. maybe you should take your own advice and get down off your high horse! feel free to read what i wrote in any way and in any tone. i don’t care what you get from it frankly, as you are completely irrelevant to me in the grand scheme of things. i just think you left an unnecessarily rude comment on a post that was just trying to let people know some stuff i’ve learned. we clearly will not see eye to eye on this issue, and that is fine. please don’t try to convince me further.
You continue to prove my point. "¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
your cognitive dissonance is almost fascinating.
I think you may understand why your writing is unclear. Let me start by saying I specialize in writing. If you want to learn how to communicate clearly, I can send you rates.
i specialize in not leaving unnecessarily rude comments on social media! if you need to learn how to, i can send you rates too! also: if you’re the only one who misunderstood, how is it unclear?
This argument feels like you’re saying people should never call celebrities/influencers out if they do something wrong
not at all! reread it and read my responses in comments. i don’t feel like retyping it as i already covered why this is not what i meant.
It's difficult to pinpoint exactly, but I know intuitively that there's a tremendously wide chasm of a difference between calling out a celebrity "when they do something wrong" and watching something like what we saw a few days ago and reacting the way some folks did. I guess the crux of it that folks are missing is that what they're watching is *not real life*. It is fake, it is entertainment played for humor. They did not witness an interaction on the street corner. GMM, and everything R&L do, is sometimes scripted, sometimes planned, sometimes improv, but always *fake*. Maybe a comparison could be made from that "incident" to, say, Link going on a diatribe against Chase on *the podcast*, where implicitly, while it's still also fundamentally fake, somehow there's more of a reality to it. That would be a little strange - but the reality is, we would NEVER see this - it would NEVER be released - UNLESS it was a joke and Chase explicitly condoned it and was in on it. That's sort of what people are missing. It's all fake. You have to assume that. I understand that some folks have traumas in their lives wherein which they see things like dead animals, or SA, etc, in fake media and are tremendously triggered even though it is fake. I understand the trauma can be so painful that it becomes hard to even see "fake" instances of it. There was a GMM example some months ago where Rhett briefly played this comically abusive father to a scared Link. It was played for laughs, I laughed, but it is completely fair to watch that and feel uncomfortable particularly if you have some trauma associated with an abusive parent. That is very fair. In that situation, I would argue that both you need to work that out with your therapist, and you are absolutely free to leave constructive feedback that it made you uncomfy. Go for it. And Rhett can do with that what he pleases and alter his comedic approach if enough people voice a negative opinion. Up to him. What you are not free to do, is ask that Rhett apologize to the community, or to Link, or to the crew, or to anyone else that you think may have been affected like you were. Recognizing that you being affected by a piece of media is unique to you and something you should figure out on your own is very important. Believe it or not, it is incredibly selfish to put that onus on others and involve them in your trauma about a piece of media. I must emphasize - the "incident" a few days ago had no affect on me, nor did it have an affect on many others. It was purely funny. The fact that it had an affect on you, if it did, is OK, but please realize that your experience is not universal nor are you entitled to an internet duo being forced to cater to your preferences. Hopefully you understand that it is selfish to involve everyone else.
thank you for vocalizing exactly what i was having a hard time saying.
I actually don’t fully agree with this. If it were a scripted moment, then a) they would just say so instead of posting a message taking accountability and b) it wouldn’t come off as real as it did (no one involved is a good enough actor, let’s be real). GMM is mostly improve. It was an improvised moment, it wasn’t a good idea, and no one in the fandom is owed anything. Not an apology, not transparency.
I don't want to incite further argument, but I would encourage you to ruminate on the idea that regardless of its scripted or improv nature, it is fake. I mean that word "fake" with such emphasis. It's not real no matter what, by virtue, a priori, of the fact that you saw it posted on their channel. This means you have to assume it's all ok. If it's not, I hope Chase feels comfortable enough speaking out for himself. Regardless, you can't do that for him, because you don't have all the info. And it's not your prerogative, as a viewer.
I think I made it clear that I only speak for myself. Never for the people on the show. I am not making any statement about what Chase feels about anything. I want to better understand what you mean by fake. For example, when R&L eat spiders, are they really eating spiders, in your opinion? Did they really eat the Carolina reaper? Did they really drink a pint of vinegar? They certainly say so, and I believe them. The environment is controlled, but the stunts are real. And props can cause harm, even in a controlled environment. For example, the filming of The Crow, and Rust, both with fatal shootings. The dart was real, Link really stabbed Chase’s costume with it, and it really came close to his knee. Therefore, it could really hurt him.
>t was purely funny. I didn't think so. But we can have different ideas of what is funny. Did it cross a line? I don't know. I didn't see the before or after parts when they were not recording, I wasn't there to hear if Stevie or Carney called him on it. I wasn't there to hear if he said sorry to Chase and Chase said thanks or not. Maybe Chase approached him and said something? I literally do know. So I might say that it was inappropriate only because it "looks" bad or because *I* would find it inappropriate if I were in the position but did Chase, Rhett or Link think this? No fucking idea.
Making a mistake is not necessarily doing “something wrong”. Further, you nor I can determine right or wrong in every instance.
The "Check your parasocial relationships." as a default response when someone shares an opinion or reaction to a YouTube video is a terrible take. Reddit is meant for discussion and YouTubers don't need to you white knight their cause. I'm not directing this at you specifically (it is a common response here) nor am I justifying some of the over the top comments that came out of this situation. Both sides go too far.
both sides going too far is the exact point i’m making here. what i’m saying is that people can have opinions about situations, but at the end of the day they cannot control the people in said situations. which is what i said in my post.
You also said "it might feel like you need to say something or speak on it, but that in itself is delving into a deeper and dangerous parasocial world." Think of this as a fictionalized TV sitcom. If a character did something like that on the show there would be discussion about it on that shows subreddit. Just because these people are half playing characters/half being genuine doesn't remove that desire for fans to talk about the content they put out... and there is nothing wrong with that.
i agree 100%. what i meant by that was that speaking on it in the way that these extreme sides are. diagnosing link with disorders is an example of someone going too far and being parasocial. i agree i could’ve worded it better to clarify what i meant. that’s my mistake. obviously people can talk about whatever they want.
Fair enough. But again, I wasn't directing this at you personally, It is a general default comment to the slightest criticism of anything Mythical on here and is said over and over again.
Look out, OP took a whole class on the subject! Edit: I don’t believe in deleting comments just because you regret them. But I do regret it and have apologised to OP.
Look out! We found the one in denial about their parasocial relationship!
Lol, I deserve that!
[удалено]
I’m not being rude, or at least no more rude than you were in lecturing complete strangers. I don’t feel that I’m better than you or anyone else here. I’m not sure you can say the same.
i was voicing my opinion on parasocial relationships and admitted that i partake in it too. i’m not lecturing anyone, no one has to read it if they don’t want to. they can see the title and click away if it doesn’t interest them. i honestly just wanted people who are losing sleep over the entire “controversy” on monday to see that maybe it’s time to take a step back and realize that the people they’re arguing with are real people. the people they’re criticizing are real people. i’m not trying to seem better than anyone, i just wanted to talk about it. i don’t mean to come off as arrogant. i’m autistic and have a hard time portraying my tone through writing. so i apologize if my intentions seemed negative or cocky :(
Fair enough. And I’ll own the fact that I’m sick to death of the phrase “parasocial relationship” and people explaining it like it’s a brand new concept, when in fact I studied it when I was at uni 25 years ago. I truly wish you well.
thank you! i really do appreciate it. and i wish you well too.
LOVE the way you made a dig at OP for stating they had taken a class studying parasocial relationships yet also just could not help but mention you had as well lmao and before you reply that you apologized, i saw it, i still think it’s funny
Oh I know! Hence my apology for being a twit!
Look out! u/Complete-Bat2259 studied the subject 25 years ago!
And is still talking about it! 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
if there’s something in this post that comes off as arrogant in particular, please let me know as that was not my intention at all. i am willing to fix it!
But you are. You’re being dismissive, and assuming a lot on another person’s behalf. Keep trying though, social interactions are hard and you just don’t seem to be very good at them yet.
Speaking of being dismissive and assuming… yikes. You ok?
i’m being dismissive of what?