Philosophy On Tap

Parasocial Relationships: Are Fictional Characters Real?

Ryan Wardle

We all have a beloved character from tv, movies, or books that feel like a true friend. Whether that's Michael Scott, Aslan, or Luke Skywalker we feel emotionally connected to a fictional character who isn't real. Or are they? In this week's episode Ryan and Tanner discuss the relationship between our perceptual worlds, inter-personal relationships, stories, and reality and how sometimes our fictional relationships may be more real than our actual ones.