Yes, this article is a defense for the trendy-turned-ironic/sarcastic TikTok audio.
While the sound may be easy to mock, the message certainly has a point. Being in school, handling real adult responsibilities and stressing about what we will do after college can dim out our creative light from our youth. I personally remember when I used to have the biggest imagination and indulge in it. Now, it seems childish, but the TikTok trend reminded me that there is really no point in allowing the changing times to dampen our enjoyment of life.
Not to get existential, here, but we… are all… going to die. *gasp* When I fully realized this, I was, of course, filled with dread and fear. However, there was a sense similar to the feeling of senioritis, where everything seems to not matter, and there is an extra sense of complete freedom. Similar to being able to spend the rest of the school year doing whatever you want without worrying about grades anymore, I felt that whatever I did, there would only be one outcome. There is a rush of excitement, that you can technically live your life however you want to because everyone who might judge you for your life will die one day anyway.
To move on from this morbidity, I suggest we do start romanticizing our lives because why not? Not only is life short, but we can technically do whatever we want, think however we want, and live the routes we want to.
To be realistic, because of capitalism and a bunch of other systems, to simply survive in this world, we might have to forgo our dreams of simply being idle and not working a day in our lives in exchange for a 9-5 lifestyle. Fine. I encourage you to fight and change these systems, but if you cannot, I suggest romanticizing your life to get as close to your dream life as possible. In fact, I find that doing so even helps ease the feeling of existential dread because, with imagination and romanticization, there is a feeling of enjoying each minute and day versus coldly coasting through life.
This entire article might have completely ruined your mood (for that, I am sorry) and you might think that my reasoning is basically just, “you are going to die anyway, so you might as well have fun,” and you are completely correct. However, I think it is so important to assert control over *your* life in a healthy manner such as this. In a world, and especially during a time where we do not have much control over what we do or where we go, it is important to still feel as if you are spending your days meaningfully. It is fulfilling to live for yourself, and simply romanticizing your life is a way to do so.