Why does listening to No Stupid Questions feel like you’re hanging out with your best friends? Why did the whole world take it personally when Princess Diana died? And how do “parasocial relationships” affect your mental health?
You know me, Steven.
I'm like, let's hug.
Let's take a selfie.
I'm Angela Duckworth.
I'm Stephen Dubner, and you're listening to.
No stupid questions today on the show.
What does it mean to be friends with someone who has no idea that you exist?
Instead of having a conversation with an actual friend, I'll just listen to Steven and Angela have a conversation with each other.
Angela, a listener named Caitlin writes to say that the highlight of her day is listening to this podcast.
On her walks.
She writes, it feels like hanging out with close friends.
Aw.
Oh, I was going to ask for your response.
Your response was, aw.
That's the opposite of my response, but okay.
Yours is, ew.
No, Caitlyn, just so you know.
Aw.
She continues, my question is, how useful are these parasocial relationships in maintaining mental health?
So, Angie, before I continue reading the email, I think I understand this word from context, but can you define a word I'd never heard before?