Deluded by choice
Throughout our days, weโre bombarded by unsubtle reminders that there are not-so-great people in the world who are up to awful things. These will pop up across news headlines, on television, and our social media feeds.
Indeed, itโs easy to get bogged down, but when this isnโt being forced to the forefront of your mind, why not put on your metaphorical rose-coloured glasses, embrace positive delusion, and believe that most people you encounter have good (or at least not horrible) intentions?
Why not believe that everyone on the street is approaching the day with an emboldened sense of positivity, just as you are? Itโs likely that your positive (and maybe slightly deluded) energy will rub off on people you interact with and make daily experiences more bearable.
TikTok is picking up on this behaviour and calling it โbeing delusional.โ But psychologists have long been coining this mindset as โmagical thinkingโ. Itโs the kind of attitude that enables people to let go, kick back, to enjoy themselves and lifeโs simple pleasures.
In order to safeguard mental health, gain a sense of stability, and escape from the harsh realities of our world – being deluded can be as simple saying the mantra โeverything is going to be amazingโ or looking at a friend and saying, โwe are the coolest people at the party.โ
And though TikTok might be popularising manifesting a better life through โdelusionโ to Gen-Z, some of our parents wouldโve adopted this from a psychology book called โThe Happiness Hypothesis,โ which took a deep dive to research this attitude way back in 2006.
A quote from the book states, โEvidence shows that people who hold pervasive positive illusions about themselves, their abilities, and their future prospects are mentally healthier, happier and better liked than people who lack such illusions.โ
And on TikTok, one user has said โBe delusional. Fuck what everybody else is talking about and the whole โbe realisticโ [way of thinking]. My key to life, the reason why I have so much fun, is that Iโm delusional as fuck.โ
All I have to say is, same girl!
Adopting delusion can help us dream bigger and better
Looking at the bigger life picture, itโs worth noting that those who dare to dream big are often called delusional.
Any time a group has fought for equal rights – whether that be racial or gender equality or LGBTQ+ rights – there has been immense pushback from people who believe these things arenโt worth advocating for because they seem impossible to achieve.
But the fact that we started out with water, dirt, and trees and somehow ended up with Wi-Fi, cryptocurrency, and NFTs worth millions of dollars should be enough proof that today, truly anything is possible.
Perhaps youโve watched Kanye Westsโ Netflix documentary and saw how many people thought he was delusional for trying to expand beyond his role as a well-renowned producer and into a rapper. I donโt have to tell you how that turned out.
Maybe being delusional isnโt for you. Itโs understandable if working to be the solution in everyday life – rather than ignoring difficulties – is more fulfilling.
But if thereโs any chance youโre suffering from eco-anxiety, burnout, or simply feeling out of sortsโฆ Iโll be here, embracing being delusional, and welcoming you to the fun side with open arms.
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