seriously?
Stop Trying To Be the “Main Character”
WARNING: This blog is filled with Gen-Z phrases
We all know the amount of weird modern slang these days.
As someone currently at a high school, I hear it a lot, and have adopted a few! For example, I can’t stop saying “slay”. I swear, that word is contagious.
There are others I’ve yet to succumb to, mostly because I feel like there are just faster ways of saying things. Although I must admit, something about “you ate it up and left no crumbs” hits differently when directed at you. It makes me feel like a total girl boss!
However, there is one trend that I flat-out don’t like or understand;
The ✨main character✨ thing.
If you don’t understand what it means, that’s ok! Neither do I! I’ve seen limited media with this term, but I have heard it used enough to know it’s popular at the moment.
I was at lunch the other day, and one of my friends went, “Guys, I am literally the main character right now” and then listed a bunch of eventful stuff in her life. Then that instigated someone else to be like, “You think you’re the main character? I’ve got *blah blah blah, life events, etc…*”
My complete lack of understanding or enjoying aspects of this interaction is what is fueling me to write this right now.
Of course, that’s not to say I don’t understand any aspects. If there’s one thing I was able to gather from that, and further reflect on as I saw more TikToks using the “main character” phrasing, it’s that it is a very efficient way of comparing trauma.
Is that all it’s there for, or that people use it for? No. But I’ve seen teenagers, and I know that many are nearly desperate for an opportunity to compare trauma and make it into whole competitions for…what? Fun? A prize? What does one think they could get out of that?
Personal trauma affects everyone differently, and it’s really not something that should be compared. For one, it could make someone else feel like their trauma is invalid, and also, it could bring up a sensitive subject that someone might not be comfortable discussing or sharing.
Trauma competitions are not very slay.
Another reason I don’t understand why people refer to themselves as the “main character” is because it's like…
The main character of what? Of the world? That’s just unrealistic and kind of disrespectful (but that's a topic for another day).
Of your own life? Well, I’d certainly hope so! But why feel the need to announce it?
Gaslight, gatekeep, girl boss… I guess.
There are a few other things I would like to say, but I need to go to bed at some point, so I’ll keep it short and sweet;
Calling yourself “the main character” makes it seem like there can be only one. Are you a fucking Highlander? Is that the main character you mean?
There are always things going on in people’s lives, whether it’s disclosed or not. While talking about current happenings and events is totally fine, use phrasing that doesn’t make it seem like yours are the only ones that matter.
Does it really take your life being all eventful for you to be the “main character”? If you're trying to be the main character of your own life, you don’t even have to do shit (although you should). If you’re simply trying to be a character with depth, what the hell are your standards so that living your life isn’t already “main character” worthy?
I get that being the “main character” means that there’s a lot going on in your life, but I think there are definitely better ways to convey that.
I don’t know man, I’m tired and I don’t understand a lot of trends and phrases and stuff. I spend more time on Twitch and The New York Times than TikTok — I don’t even have TikTok! The only reason I know these things is from some TikToks sent to me and some in the form of Instagram reels.
This is mostly a frustration rant (if you couldn’t already tell), and after writing about it, I already feel much better. I couldn’t tell you about what, though. Anxiety be like that sometimes.
If you've read all the way to this point, you’re a real one. Thank you, and goodnight!
