parasocial-relationships
These are one-sided emotional bonds people form with celebrities or media figures, which in this chapter are shown to extend empathy across vast populations.
1 chapter across 1 book
Empathic Civilization: The Race to Global Consciousness in a World in Crisis (2009)Jeremy Rifkin
This chapter explores the unprecedented global interconnectedness of the modern world through economic, social, political, and technological infrastructures that bind billions of people together. It highlights how globalization has facilitated a new scale of empathy and shared human experience, exemplified by worldwide reactions to events such as Princess Diana's death and the 2004 Asian tsunami. The chapter also discusses the psychological and social impacts of this global integration, including the emergence of parasocial relationships and the potential for both compassionate response and desensitization.