Rizz, Ratchet, Passenger Princess More

Rizz, Ratchet, Passenger Princess & More
Welcome to your slang entries for the week. This week we have words for being a certain kind of hot mess, for an extremely modern form of interaction, and for one of Generation Alpha’s most brutal shortenings, in which they cut vocabulary such as charisma, magnetism, and attractiveness down to a single four-letter word.

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parasocial interaction
noun

: an interaction that leads an audience to feel personally close to someone famous

What does parasocial interaction mean?
A parasocial interaction (or PSI) is a semblance of interpersonal exchange in which members of an audience come to feel that they personally know a performer they have encountered in mass media (movies, television, social media apps, etc.). Parasocial interactions are thought to have a psychological effect similar to that of face-to-face communication. Over time, PSIs with a performer may lead audience members to develop a parasocial relationship—a one-sided sense of connection with the performer.

How is parasocial interaction used?
Parasocial interaction is used primarily (and in a technical manner) in the field of psychology. However, the concept to which it refers has been written about with increasing frequency (and in more general publications) in the age of social media, which has given people greater opportunities to interact with celebrities, professional athletes, etc. So while the word is not new, it is suddenly new to many people.

Example of parasocial interaction:
Many Swifties are invested in Taylor’s romantic life and are cheering for her to find love and one day pick out a white dress. This interest and fantasy takes the form of a parasocial—or one-sided—relationship, where one party invests emotional energy and time, while the other person is unaware of the first person’s existence. While these can potentially become harmful, in most cases parasocial interactions are a source of escape, fun and fantasy.

—Angeline Close Scheinbaum, TheConversation.com, 17 Nov. 2023

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rizz
: romantic appeal or charm

Rizz means "romantic appeal or charm," or in other words one’s proficiency in attracting romantic attention or interest. The word is also used as a verb (often as rizz up) with the meaning “to charm or seduce.”

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ratchet
: trashy and disorderly, sometimes in a good way

Ratchet is a slang term that means “low-class” or “out of control.” Depending on context, the word can be used in a disparaging or complimentary way.

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passenger princess
: a woman chivalrously chauffeured by her partner

Passenger princess is a playful slang term for a woman driven around by someone else (especially by her male partner), in an affectionate manner as she rides comfortably. It sometimes refers to the driver and other passengers enjoying themselves, too.