by Jacksreality (Author)
With English-speaking Internet forums to express love for fictional characters and ceremonies to marry them in Japan, there has been an increase in activities to show affection for fictional characters in recent decades. While some people refer to it as "waifuism", others identify as "fictosexuals". What makes people develop deep emotional and romantic attachments to these characters? Which cognitive processes are involved when falling in love with them? What underlying mechanisms favor the belief in a parallel universe in which fictional characters live rather than taking introspection into account to arrive at the conclusion that a fictional character is the result of physical and psychological processes? By answering these questions, the author points out how people are creating their partners in their mind-space, as most of them are struggling with the effects of radical capitalism on society, seeking an alternative in media worlds to find self-fulfillment. The metaphors and values associated with the fictional character lead to sacred, collective, and binding conditions and thus to a re-enchantment of the world for these people. Last but not least, the author raises the final question: Is love in the second dimension, also known as "2D Love", a love revolution?