This month I got to interact 1-on-1 with three people who I have admired and followed on social media for some time.
One of them I met in real life at a weekend workshop (and got a signed book!). Another is a YouTuber whose Patreon I signed up for and had a chance to hop on a 45-minute private call with. Last is an esteemed anatomist with an online course and monthly Q+A calls where I was able to ask them a question in real time.
In all cases, I had been following these personalities / creators / influencers for some time, was really fond of their work, and decided to pursue better ways to connect with them.
Given the broadcast nature of digital media, it’s easy to find ourselves in parasocial relationships with the people we follow. It’s easy to be a lurker and find ourselves involved in these one-way relationships. I made an effort this month to be bold and change that, and I really enjoyed it.
The internet has made it easier than ever to follow people from a distance. But it’s also made it easier than ever to just reach out. Doing the latter has been fun, and I plan to keep doing it.
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