Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's engagement rumors won't stop. For what?

In this age of political chaos, stifling social inequality, and confusing capitalist institutions, one question unites us all.

Are Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce engaged yet?!

No, at least not publicly. But that didn’t stop the rumor mill from continuing to swirl. Fans dissect everything they can find – a quote here, a boat ride there – to bridge their parasocial connection with the “it” couple of the year (decade? century?)

Still, it can be trying when those around you keep speculating about the status of your relationship. This difficulty is magnified for celebrities, who see the ups and downs of their relationships become the subject of international news headlines and social media trends. It’s usually worse when a couple seems to be going through difficult times; just look at Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. But with Swift and Kelce, some go a little too far.

“I really think so many people are hanging on to Travis because they see him as Taylor’s ‘last chance’ to have a husband and babies,” one X user wrote. “We see it all the time. time because they always bring up her age every time they justify engagement speculation.” Another added, “I don’t question whether or not she wants to get married/have kids, but it’s still weird that people are so obsessed with the moment and constantly reading everything Taylor, Travis and their family make as an Easter egg for their engagement.”

Parasocial relationships can be innocent. But when it goes too far, ‘stan culture’ can lead to everything from ‘addictive tendencies’ to ‘harassing behavior,’ according to research – and experts say such volatility should be reassessed .

Social networks, “a small part” of what celebrities are

The age of social media has made it almost impossible for anyone who regularly uses these platforms to keep their relationship status hidden for long. An Instagram story here, a cryptic post there. Of course, those in the public eye carefully select what they want their followers to know. Yet even Swift is human.

“It’s important not to hold celebrities to impossible standards, because they are fallible humans with inevitable flaws and flaws, just like the rest of us,” said Shana Redmond, professor of English and literature. compared to Columbia University, USA TODAY. “What we see on social media is only a small part of who they are – we can’t replace that glamor with the whole thing.”

But the viral nature of social media means the platforms can become powder kegs for radicalization. Especially when it comes to celebrity couples, engagements, and misguided and misogynistic pregnancy rumors.

“‘Stan culture’ has a different intensity when a celebrity is virtually accessible at any time of the day, any day of the year,” says Redmond.

Yes and: Ariana Grande and when everyone won’t stop talking about the status of your relationship

Is there a psychological component?

Yes – although this is specific to the idea of “celebrity worship”.

Research by Dr. Randy A. Sansone, Dr. Lori A. Sansone, published in 2014 in “Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience,” found that so-called “celebrity worshipers” might “have concerns about body image (in especially young adolescents), be more prone to cosmetic surgery” and could exhibit “narcissistic traits, dissociation, addictive tendencies, stalking behavior and compulsive buying.” Studies have found that people with intense levels of celebrity worship were more likely to suffer from mental health problems.

The saturation of celebrity culture in the media partly explains the public interest. A certain level of celebrity worship is therefore inevitable. But that doesn’t mean he’ll always reach “stan” level.

In case you missed: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are suddenly everywhere. Why are we invested – and is it okay?

The negative points of “stan” culture

David Schmid, an associate professor of English at the University at Buffalo, previously told USA TODAY that some celebrities aren’t engaging more directly with their fans so as not to bite the hand that feeds them.

We have always demanded a lot from celebrities – that they be absolutely different from us, but also be approachable. “A celebrity cannot satisfy both requirements at the same time,” explains Schmid. Swift can’t appease everyone at all times during a years-long “Eras” tour.

Still, celebrities could do more to rein in their fans. For example, anyone who speaks negatively about Swift can expect to get skewered by her Swifties. But more often than not, it’s the Swifties themselves who cause the chaos.

“We talk a lot about the power that stans have. But we don’t talk enough about the power that celebrities have over those stans,” Schmid says. “And I think that needs to be more important in the future.” For all of Swift’s alleged authenticity, we don’t know that a lot about her and Kelce directly.

Schmid believes that Stan culture should not be demonized, but used as a force for good. Think about how many people Ariana Grande and Swift have inspired politically, for example.

Plus, it’s ridiculous to imagine that Stans never will be.

“A lot of the fun is in the purity of the obsession and the purity of the extremity,” says Schmid.

So by all means, look for that engagement ring. But don’t project your own wishes and desires – “paper rings,” if you will – onto someone else.