Sometimes, the media we watch can shape our development, not only with our worldview, morals, and even personality traits. We previously discussed the media’s influence on people, but I’d like to expand this topic to include when people start copying on-screen characters. Instead of taking the story’s morals and applying them to their real lives. Some people adopt a specific character’s behavior and other traits and incorporate them into their lives. In this article, we look back on our favorite characters and see how they made a more significant impact than we think.

Character bonding

It happens when we identify or admire a fictional character and emulate the qualities of that character. This phenomenon is widespread for people regardless of age or mindset. It isn’t to any degree terrible. There are multiple reasons people like specific fictional stories and the characters from them. According to an article from Thriveworks.com, there are many positive effects of character bonding “Obviously, it’s not possible to expect ourselves or anyone else to live up to the scripted bravado or badassery of fictional characters. But character bonding can be a low-key way to improve our self-image. By doing so, we may learn to identify traits we appreciate and take steps to cultivate those empowering traits within ourselves.” said Jason Crosby.

Though it’s not an exact percentage of what characters people are commonly fond of, many articles have narrowed it down to multiple archetypes that people relate to and why. Here are a few to explore:

The Superhumans/heroes

These characters are often the most favored and commonly bonded due to their status in their story and morals. These characters are typically beyond human or an outlier among familiar people, physically or mentally. Yet, they do what they can to uphold a moral code, such as helping others, being responsible, etc. Superhuman type characters are commonly admired because they represent a desire to be something more. To break limits, and to inspire us to be the best person we can be.

The Everyman/woman or average person

This type of character is easy to bond with because the viewer can relate to said character. They usually represent the average person and lack the complexity of other character archetypes like Superhumans. If the character is a flawed person or some form of paragon, they can connect with these characters due to the relatable story they are involved in. The story may be grounded in reality or exaggerated for entertainment but through the characters. We can find comfort in finding similarities or see a new point of view.

Conclusion

We can better look at ourselves and our behavior as we look more into character bonding and why it can happen. Although it’s not a proper way to analyze someone, it does help simplify some personality traits by comparing them to fictional characters. There’s no need to be ashamed of the characters you want to mimic; it can be a powerful way to develop the character and lifestyle you seek.

Read More From The Able Show Contributors.

Works Cited

Wikipedia, https://thriveworks.com/blog/what-is-character-bonding-the-connection-with-fictional-characters. Accessed 13 May 2024.

Wikipedia, https://app2vox.com/resources/why-some-autistic-individuals-love-science-fiction. Accessed 13 May 2024.

What Is Character Bonding? Exploring the Connection We Feel With Fictional Characters on Screen and in Novels | Thriveworks