POV: You Romanticise Everything

Mahek Andrade

TYBA

The amalgamation of the industrial revolution and protestant work ethic gave rise to a society characterised by work, and the number of hours and effort put in by individuals came to be of increasing importance. This further stimulated the development of the capitalist economic system, wherein the boundaries between work and leisure continued to be blurred, leaving a portion of people with a sizeable income, yet a mundane life. When Europe colonised countries in Asia and Africa they brought with them their system of industrial capitalism, effectively introducing capitalism and the factory system across the world. In the current hyper-capitalistic era we live in, the boundaries between work and leisure continue to be blurred. The idea of, ‘do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life,’ is prominent, and acted upon, although as a product of the capitalist era, not every leisure activity can lead to a successful business. People are compelled to take up multiple jobs, or work in a profession that does not stimulate them mentally to meet their financial goals or as a consequence of their political or social situation.

I argue, the idea and practice of romanticisation stems from the current dissatisfaction amongst the masses with their life at large and the lack of leisure activities that are accessible. ‘Romanticization’ is the act to describe something as better or more attractive than it really is (Cambridge Dictionary, 2023). Thus, the practice of romanticizing everyday mundane activities such as making a cup of coffee, travelling to work, working from home or in an office, or taking a walk, are a coping mechanism, and allow individuals to deal with their harsh lived-realities. Moreover, the course of the Covid-19 pandemic changed the life trajectory of several young people, namely Gen Z. While global lockdowns had a major impact on the mental and physical health, the destruction of life witnessed during the peak of the pandemic seems to have invigorated a new appreciation for life, which has transformed into what is now observed as romanticising everyday activities through social media.

From a Marxist lens, the capitalist economic system is responsible for the process of alienation, “the breakdown of the natural interconnection among people and between people and what they produce” (Ritzer & Stepnisky, 2020). Marx’s belief that the masses would eventually overthrow the capitalist system and establish a socialist utopia has not been realised, but the establishment of a global capitalist system, characterised by ‘hard work’ has become normal, further ingraining the feeling of alienation in people. Alienation experienced by blue-collared or factory line workers cannot be compared to that of white-collared workers, nevertheless, the importance placed on work over leisure and lack of meaningful human contact found in modern society keeps the concept of alienation prevalent regardless of the type of work.

Durkheim argued that the development of organic solidarity in industrial societies, wherein, individuals are so dependent on one another to carry out work, a sense of solidarity emerges for universal benefit. However, the development of this solidarity develops only in the context of work. As society becomes more industrialised, humans become more centred around their work; leisure activities and family life get ignored, and personal ties are shattered, paving the way for what Durkheim described as ‘pathologies.’ Although Durkheim considered suicide ‘normal’ as it exists in any society, changes in social facts that led to differences in suicide rates (Ritzer & Stepnisky, 2020). For instance, the covid-19 pandemic followed by subsequent lockdowns changed the life trajectory of several people. The lives of people transitioning into adulthood was met with uncertainty and fear, as the future of the world appeared unclear. As personal life loses meaning and the stress from life is overwhelming, a sense of anomie which may lead to anomic suicide becomes prevalent.

As individuals lose hope, their level of self-efficacy decreases. According to Bandura (1977), self-efficacy reflects confidence in the ability to exert control over one's own motivation, behaviour, and social environment (American Psychological Association et al., 2009). During the lockdown there was a loss in control over the external situation and consequently led to a loss of belief in self and future. In order to exert control over their situation, individuals start romanticising mundane, everyday activities. This was further fuelled by the rise in TikTok, as posting videos of romanticising daily activities gave people joy, a sense of control over their environment, arguably a sense of purpose and possibly a means of income. While TikTok or reels content may not have been a source of income for a considerable number of people, it still benefitted them emotionally and mentally. As the pandemic led to financial instability for a lot of lower and middle-class individuals, contributing extra hours in work or working several jobs became a necessity to survive, and being able to romanticise something as simple as a morning coffee or ‘hot girl walks’ has become a way to find joy in small things. Thus, I argue, the concept of romanticisation emerged as a coping mechanism to find joy in everyday activities which would otherwise be physically and mentally exhausting.

From a functionalist perspective, the use of romanticisation as a coping mechanism would be beneficial by allowing an individual to deal with their harsh lived-reality in a manner that reduces the mental burden. However, a common critique of functionalism is it tends to assume that all activities in society are inherently good and lead to positive outcomes for society as a whole. According to Merton, all aspects of society would not be functional for everyone, further emphasizing on the existence of ‘dysfunctions.’ Merton believes something may have consequences that are generally dysfunctional, for instance, romaticisation encourages the masses to find joy in small things, consequently leading them to ignore the oppression from larger, hegemonic structures (Wallace et al., 1999). Merton’s second point - that an institution need not be generally functional or dysfunctional but may instead be functional for some groups of people and dysfunctional for others is further evident in the practice of romaticising daily activities. This practice appears to be functional as a coping mechanism for only those who have access to the internet, social media, and finances to ‘treat themselves’ to aesthetically pleasing experiences or materials. Certain jobs, physical and mental disabilities can never be aesthetically pleasing and consequently, never be romanticised. Moreover, romanticisation of illnesses or hard manual labour could be viewed as disrespectful and ignorant, and romanticising them proves to be the opposite of functional. While the romanticisation of mental illness is a common practice across social media, it is extremely harmful. Romanticisation of manual labourers, who are often exploited under capitalism demeans their problems and restricts individuals from holding the structures responsible for this exploitation. It is thus evident that the concept of romanticising daily life has a strong underlying class dynamic to it, it often requires one to ‘treat themselves’ by purchasing flowers, skin care or ‘healthy’ food etc., amenities that are accessible only to a certain section of society. For instance, it is difficult to imagine how a domestic worker would romanticise their life by spending their meagre wages to buy themselves flowers or expensive skin care products to make themselves feel better about their lived reality. 

The idea of romanticisation further propagates the idea of toxic positivity i.e., the idea that no matter how difficult a situation is people should maintain a positive mindset. The truth is, toxic positivity and romanticisation seek to normalise certain situations which helps strengthen the hegemony and their practices and beliefs, further compelling the masses to live dissatisfied lives. For instance, it is difficult to imagine a poor, terminally ill person romanticising their life despite the neglect they face from the health care system. To state in Gen Z terms, romanticisation may turn into a form of gaslighting yourself into believing mundane or stressful activities are fun, when in fact we should be talking about how larger, hegemonic structures have been working to oppress the masses by taking advantage of the present socio-economic and political climate.

Is the concept of romanticizing everything inherently problematic? Probably not, when done with contextual awareness. While the idea of romanticisation as a coping mechanism and finding joy in small things seems harmless and possibly a positive practice, it seeks to normalise oppressive structures by diverting attention towards other aspects of life leaving these hegemonic structures unharmed and in place. While it is harmless to make or consume videos and posts about romanticisation, it is necessary to be aware of the impact it could have on society as a whole. Over use or incorrect use of romanticisation may affect how we view several existing structures, including the capitalist economic system, work, and the current political state of the world, further encouraging people to seek satisfaction from an illusion of a happy life manufactured by them. 

             

References

American Psychological Association, Carey, M., & Forsyth, A. (2009). Teaching Tip Sheet: Self-Efficacy. American Psychological Association. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://www.apa.org/pi/aids/resources/education/self-efficacy

Butler, K., & Bannock, C. (2021, June 5). ‘A sacrificed generation’: psychological scars of Covid on young may have lasting impact. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/02/a-sacrificed-generation-psychological-scars-of-covid-on-young-may-have-lasting-impact

Cambridge Dictionary. (2023). romanticize definition: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/romanticize

Dillon, M. (2014). Introduction to Sociological Theory: Theorists, Concepts and Their Applicability to the Twenty-First Century (Second). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ritzer, G., & Stepnisky, J. N. (2020). Classical Sociological Theory (8th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.

Wallace, R. A., Wolf, A., & Alison Wolf. (1999). Contemporary Sociological Theory: Expanding the Classical Tradition. Prentice Hall.

Why Toxic Positivity Can Be So Harmful. (2022, September 28). Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-toxic-positivity-5093958