Why Main Character Syndrome is Toxic
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The internet has a habit of taking things to the extreme. It is the gas fluid that can ignite a subject in seconds. While the internet has yielded beneficial effects such as better representation and education, sometimes it produces unintended consequences that are complex to deconstruct.
Recently, people have used social media to spread positivity in many aspects. Which sometimes peddles a certain false positivity that oftentimes leads to negative consequences. Main character syndrome is a recent term that has gained traction and popularity online. While it has been chiefly used within humorous contexts, some have taken it to heart and don’t realize that the way they are acting can affect the people around them, those deemed the ‘side characters’ in their narrative. However, life isn’t a story. Your perspective is merely one fragment of our collective consciousness, and acting like it is the only one in existence can produce toxic results.
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We are all the main characters of our own lives, but what happens when we get too invested in our personal affairs and not the ones of others? Main character syndrome has been popularized on social media, more specifically TikTok, in recent months, and the term has come to be referenced in-jokes and conversations online. However, how does the romanticization of your own life affect the people around you in the long run?
While no one is saying that you aren’t allowed to appreciate the things in your life, it cannot be the only thing that consumes you. An essential part of one’s life is the people in them. Their presence in your life should not be based on how they can serve you in your own life. It should be a mutual relationship where both parties are equally invested. If you treat your friends as your audience and not your cast member, it can create and perpetuate a disconnect with reality. It is important to prioritize yourself in moments, but you can’t forget the priorities of other people in your life. You are THEIR friends as much as they are yours.
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It can be hard to tell that you are suffering from main character syndrome as being ironic in this day and age is a slippery slope. However, attempting to be conscious about how you are around the people you love will only benefit and strengthen your bonds with them.
A good way to make sure you aren't suffering from this disease is to reflect on the relationships you have with the people around you. There might be people that might be on the shyer side and don’t contribute as much to a conversation, making a conscious effort to engage others makes them feel included. It might even push them to warm up and give more in a conversation.
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Falling into main character syndrome is very easy to do because of this false positivity narrative that is being perpetuated. They are not directly related but having a false positivity about the world can quickly morph into ignoring real problems that might be happening with the way that you are carrying yourself. While it has good intentions, the reality is that the main character syndrome negatively affects people. Body positivity is one example of where it can be iffy. While it has certainly helped give better representation and made people more accepting of their bodies, there has been a recent movement online to push for body neutrality.
Main character syndrome is simply another fancy label for self-centered people. If it takes a buzzword popularized on TikTok to affect people in this way, then it is important to explain how it can affect people.
Strike out,
Writer: Isabella Botero
Editor: Karina McCarthy
Graphic Designer: Allexandria Clemons
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