Mildred and the Parasocial
The first and interesting parallel between the book and reality is that of parasocial relationships. Mildred Montag, the protagonist’s wife lives her life constantly plugged into some sort of entertainment source, be it by using the television parlour or by using a ‘seashell’ in which she interacts (or believes to do so) with the characters on the screen. Thanks to a device that filters in her name during the shows and the constant exposure the shows, she considers the people on the other side of the screen as her ‘television family’. Thanks to social media and television, this play out in a similar way in reality and is alarmingly common.
When television became easily available to the general population in the late 1950’s, psychologists Donald Horton and R. Richard Wohl, noted that viewers began to develop an “illusion of intimacy” with characters on the screen, thus coining the term ‘parasocial relationship’1. This illusion of intimacy results in a one-sided emotional bond to a celebrity, influencer, fictional character, singer or even artificial intelligence. Parasocial relationships are not inherently bad or dangerous in themselves, as humans are social by nature. However, they can ultimately lead to unhealthy obsessive behaviours and isolation from real relationships. Furthermore, modern parasocial relationships differ greatly from older models due to constant exposure via social media. Social media provides an easy and constant access to such interactions. And unlike television, social media creates the possibility for direct interaction, further blurring the lines between the viewer and the public figure, thus cementing further the illusion of intimacy.2
It’s this illusion of intimacy where the parallel between fiction and reality is initially drawn. Mildred’s constant exposure to television and radio greatly mirrors that of constant exposure to social media. Influencers, singers, actors, public figures provide us with almost uninterrupted access to their lives. Similar to Mildred’s device, social media allows us to directly interact with them through likes, comments and live streams. And similar to how Mildred refers to these unknown television actors as her ‘television family’, many people today believe that they have some kind of relationship with public figures that they watch or follow on social media.
It is not a secret to anyone that we live in a society where many people feel isolated and lonely. The ‘loneliness epidemic’ affects both genders equally, regardless of the age. To fill the void, many turn to parasocial relationships to feel part of something, to quell the innate need of belonging. However, what is particularly interesting in the story is that Mildred shows no signs of isolation; she has a husband and friends and yet she almost purposefully chooses her parasocial relationship over her real human relationships.
Throughout the story, Mildred constantly dismisses Guy’s attempts of deep, meaningful conversation, opting to tune into her shows instead. Even when Guy is sick and in distress during his boss’s monologue, she dismisses his feelings and insists he go back to work as they have to pay for the latest television wall they installed; Guy craves real intimacy while Mildred is content with the mere illusion of it.
So the question begs: are parasocial relationships solely a way to escape loneliness, or are they also an excuse to avoid the work demanded in real interpersonal relationships. In the story, it is ultimately Mildred who turns Guy in to the fire brigade. Although having witnessed Guy’s unraveling firsthand, she chooses her comfort and her ‘television family’ over her own husband. We see this play out in reality in different ways: People who prioritise a public figure over their friends and family, sometimes at the expense of their wellbeing by going into debt things such as concerts or merchandise, exposing themselves to danger or even engaging in criminal behaviour such as stalking. It almost seems as if the driving factor isn’t necessarily the desire for intimacy but the need for idolozation.
Writing is permanence 
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