Why Do I Care More About Fictional Characters Than Real Life People?

Humans have a natural tendency to connect with others, even if those others are fictional characters in books, movies, or television shows. The emotional connection we can feel to fictional characters can be just as strong, if not stronger, than the connection we have with real people.

Relatability

Fictional characters are designed to be relatable. They often have qualities, experiences, or personalities that mirror our own, or the traits we aspire to possess. This similarity creates a bond between us and the character, making it easier to empathize with their situation and understand their emotions. The more we connect with the character, the more invested we become in their story, and the more we care about what happens to them.

In contrast, real-life people can be more complex and challenging to understand. We don’t always know their experiences or personalities in the same depth as we do with fictional characters. We can know more about them but still lack a coherent model to understand them as a whole, or parts of their personality may conflict with other parts making them ‘confusing’ in ways that fictional characters normally are not.

Immersion

The immersive nature of books and other forms of media can contribute to our emotional connection to fictional characters. When we read a book or watch a movie, we are transported to another world, and we can feel like we are experiencing events alongside the characters. This immersion can be so powerful that we may even forget we are reading a book or watching a movie and become fully engrossed in the story. When we emerge from this experience, we may feel like we have lost a part of ourselves because we have become so attached to the characters and their world.

ally, we can control the level of engagement we have with fictional characters. We can choose to immerse ourselves in a book or TV show and focus solely on the characters and their stories. In real life, we often have distractions and responsibilities that can prevent us from fully engaging with others.

Flaws

Authors also have the ability to create characters who are complex and multi-dimensional, which can further deepen the emotional connection readers feel to them. When characters have flaws and make mistakes, it makes them feel more human and relatable. Seeing characters work to overcome their flaws and grow as individuals can be inspiring and can make readers feel invested in their journey.

But Authors also know to make the flaws small and relatable, and understandable (unless we are meant to hate them.) They can work on and overcome those flaws. Real life people have confusing, or sometimes extremely annoying flaws, and while they can certainly work on them and overcome them too, they are unlikely to do so within a three hour window. Infact even after overcoming them they are likely to occasionally relapse, causing much frustration to those around them and themselves.

Imagery

In addition to creating relatable characters, authors can also use language and imagery to create an emotional connection with readers. Through vivid descriptions and poetic language, authors can evoke strong emotions and create a sense of intimacy between the reader and the story.

Real life can be stunningly beautiful, can sound majestic and moove us emotionaly. But these things don’t line up the way they do in movies. We don’t get a swell of majestic music as we reach an emotional climax. And even real life jump scares happen without warning, rather than at the end of a slow zoom and slight silence.

Impact on real life from fictional characters.

The emotional connection we feel to fictional characters can have a profound impact on our lives. It can give us a sense of belonging and community, especially if we share our love for a particular character or story with others. It can also serve as a source of inspiration and motivation, as we strive to emulate the qualities we admire in our favorite characters. In some cases, it can even provide us with a safe space to explore our own emotions and experiences through the lens of a fictional character.

We just need to also remember not to raise our expectations of real life up to those of fiction (which has been much more carefully curated for effect.)

Wrap up

The emotional connection we feel to fictional characters is a testament to the power of storytelling and our innate desire to connect with others. Through relatability, immersion, and impact on our lives, these characters can become just as real to us as the people we interact with in our daily lives. Whether we are seeking entertainment, inspiration, or emotional catharsis, fictional characters can provide us with a sense of meaning and purpose, making the experience of getting lost in a good book or movie all the more satisfying.

However, it’s important to balance our immersion and our real life an to remember that real-life relationships and connections are also important for our well-being and happiness.

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