I find one example of attachment so exhilarating in history: the closeness of Van Gogh with his mailman. Van Gogh truly invested an immense emotional world into this man, painting him repeatedly as a symbol of stability, simplicity, and warmth. He even painted Roulin’s entire family—not with force, but with devotion. During his mental breakdown period, he never felt so close to anyone, so he painted Roulin as an homage. I believe his entire body of work is a product of his allocation of affection, including his early Potato Eaters. That painting was about the alienation of not being totally attached to the earth—strange alienation, right?

In our app-driven world, this kind of affection feels outside the realm of possibility. We cannot even imagine such felicity. We crave the warmth of Roulin, the tangible presence of a friend whose hands smell of ink and envelopes, and who is there when you need them.

And here—parasocial comes in—the word of the year for 2025. That affection for a person whom you’ve never seen. Is it even real? Do you trust a relationship with an unknown person you’ve never personally met?

Photo Source: pixaby

Emotionally, yes. Psychologically, absolutely. In reality, we need such affection at certain periods in our lives to emerge from the depths of creation or to digress. The brain responds to perceived social cues whether they come from a living room or a glowing rectangle. You can feel devotion, admiration, attachment, even heartbreak toward someone you’ve never met. That part is real. Another example of such a parasocial bond I love is the relationship between Nietzsche and Schopenhauer. Nietzsche admired his philosophy so intensely. His initial work was influenced by Schopenhauer, but later this parasocial bond broke. But anyway, my point is this: whether we show affection for kings, knights, dead philosophers, or distant stars—all of it is acceptable in a sense. It’s healthy. It fuels your imagination hard. Word of the year, indeed.