I listen to a relatively diverse catalog of podcasts. My podcast app features a lot of theology, some history, and a few fly fishing shows sprinkled in for good measure. Every once in a while, I hop on to a true crime or celebrity podcast bandwagon. And, like hundreds of thousands of other listeners, I download Stuff You Should Know every week.
Josh and Chuck have been a part of my commutes, my lawn mowing, and my long drives to the river. I’ve tagged along on their quest to explain everything since 2015. The subject matter is all over the place, and is equally entertaining whether I’m familiar with the topic or completely clueless.
This week, the episode Parasocial Relationships: That Podcaster Is Your Friend! fell into the latter category.
Once they got around to explaining the concept, I realized how appropriate it was for the fly fishing community. And since I said “fly fishing community,” it’s time to tell you what I mean.
Parasocial relationships are essentially one-sided. This oxymoron occurs because we live in a day and age where face time with news anchors, celebrities, and podcast hosts rivals that which we experience with real humans. Because we’ve been created to be relational, we latch on to those with whom we spend time. Even if that time is digital and one-sided.
So how does this whole concept dovetail with the fly fishing community? Well, it does and it doesn’t. First, the volume of fly fishing media out there makes it possible to consume YouTube videos, Instagram feeds, and podcasts virtually 24/7. I’m a relative newcomer at 8 years, and there are over a thousand articles and 250+ podcasts on Casting Across. Put all that together, and you have a decent composite version of me.
However, there are some established names in fly fishing who have a real presence across multiple platforms. You get to know where they fish, how they fish, and what fly patterns they hate to tie. You know their favorite rod brand, their most dramatic fishing stories, and what they enjoy when they aren’t on the water. They do what you do. They go where you go. It’s like you have a relationship… even though they don’t know it.
But here is where fly fishing bucks the parasocial trend. Whereas most social media influencers wouldn’t hang out with you at a convention and no reality TV “star” would join you for a drink at a bar, in my experience fly fishing figures will. They probably aren’t going to become your fishing buddies or come to your kid’s birthday party, but they’ll answer emails and remember who you are. You’ll be legitimate acquaintances; which is just fine.
So what is the point? I guess I’m simply thankful to be a part of a community that is on the right side of the relational curve. Those who make time for people they impact usually endure and succeed. The shared pursuit of chasing fish with long rods and feathers does have a certain self-leveling quality.
If you haven’t listened to Stuff You Should Know, here’s a link. You could do a lot worse than subscribing.