Delulu is the solulu: How social media trends fuel youth detachment from real-world challenges

Illustration: TBS

In Franz Kafka's novella "The Metamorphosis," Gregor Samsa, the protagonist, wakes up one morning to discover he has transformed into a giant insect. The grotesque and absurd shift mirrored the alienation he would experience in his daily life. 

Despite his bizarre conversion, Gregor slowly resigns himself to his fate, choosing to withdraw from reality. Rather than confronting the sheer absurdity or seeking a way to reconnect with the outside world, he ultimately succumbs to his insect state and allows himself to waste away, both physically and mentally.

The concept the great litterateur unveiled before the world more than a hundred years ago somewhat comes to life, as a large portion of today's youth evidently surrenders to emotional and intellectual inertia in the guise of adopting a social media trend called 'Delulu is the solulu.'

The phrase that has taken the internet by storm over the months is basically a shorthand for "being delusional is the solution." It is a popular sentiment among the contemporary youth, especially those from Gen-Z and Gen Alpha, that deliberately embracing unrealistic fantasies, no matter how absurd, can be a valid coping mechanism. 

The popularity of the "delulu" mindset is born out of a hyper-digitised world where virtual "influencers," curated "lives," and other scripted-to-perfection contents on TikTok, Instagram, and other social outlets often dominate the cognitive fundamentals of homo sapiens—the "man" who "thinks." Algorithms reward trends that offer temporary dopamine springtide, even if fleetingly.

While the trend may appear humorous or light-hearted on the surface, the deeper implications of this mantra are quite disturbing.

The trend promotes a shift towards wilful ignorance, where fantasies replace critical thinking and illusions are preferred over hard truths. The scary part is that it's not just a social media fad—it is rather emblematic of a generation-wide mentality. 

At its core lies a dangerous cocktail of escapism, nihilism and emotional cavities that could very much erode the foundations of society in the long run. But how did we get here in the first place?

The popularity of the "delulu" mindset is born out of a hyper-digitised world where virtual "influencers," curated "lives" and other scripted-to-perfection contents on TikTok, Instagram and other social outlets often dominate the cognitive fundamentals of homo sapiens—the "man" who "thinks." Algorithms reward trends that offer temporary dopamine springtide, even if fleetingly. 

As a result, it has caused many to develop an ironic but serious habit of adopting non-seriousness as a lifestyle, mocking the hardships of reality by plunging into self-delusion. The phrase has become both a joke and a self-fulfilling prophecy: that when life feels too hard, simply invent a delusion where things magically (seem to) work out. 

Several social and psychological factors contribute to the rise of this novel form of escapism dressed as self-care. Fear of failure in a career is among them, as studies suggest that student debt and housing costs are alarmingly skyrocketing and the job market across the world has become more unpredictable than ever before. 

Many undergrad and graduate students expressed that long-term plans feel meaningless to them, not because they are lazy but because they are not sure if there is a secure future to plan for. Information overload, hyper-individualism and lack of social support further worsen their emotional exhaustion. 

Social media bombards them with information 24/7 and constant access to news about wars, famine and political turmoil has led most Zoomers and Alphas to early burnout. To cope with the distress, the youth tune into a world where personal happiness is prioritised above all else, often at the expense of community values. 

When society no longer offers meaningful support systems, creating a personal fantasy world would naturally seem like the best refuge. 

This is their natural reaction to the overwhelming uncertainty in a world grappling with crises like inflation and economic instability, social injustice, climate change and frequent pandemics and epidemics. 

The irony here is that while the previous generations turned to activism or spiritual meaning to face hardships, the latter generations have chosen make-believe worlds to avoid it altogether.

There's another twist. When one chants "delulu is the solulu," they aren't necessarily saying, "Think positive." They are saying, "The search for positivity is pointless, as long as you can pretend there's no negativity." 

The fine margin between this and 3 Idiot's Rancho's "All is well" is that this brand of carefully curated ignorance offers a short-lived relief from the pressures of adulthood but encourages emotional hollowness instead of standing up for oneself, charting the obstacles and developing practical skills to overcome barriers. 

What makes trends like delulu is the solulu even more concerning is that they discourage the youth from making long-term commitments—whether personal, professional, or civic. This lack of foresight is not just an individual problem but a threat to human civilization. 

Many Gen-Z individuals now delay or avoid long-term relationships, preferring to "live in the moment" or chase unrealistic romantic ideals portrayed online.

While escapism has always been a part of human life through literature, movies and dreams, there is a fine line between temporary relief and permanent detachment. Trends like "delulu is the solulu" instigate individuals to cross or disapprove of that line. The real solution lies in rebuilding the lost sense of purpose and meaning. 

Gen-Z, Gen Alpha and future generations need to be reminded of the value of struggle and commitment, as happiness is not the absence of challenges but the triumph over them. Much like Gregor Samsa's tragic end projecting the costs of disconnection from reality, the "delulu" mindset warns us of a future where a collective retreat from responsibility and commitment could leave an entire generation emotionally and spiritually numb.

In their iconic song "Wish You Were Here," Pink Floyd asks, "Did you exchange a walk-on part in a war for a lead role in a cage?" It sheds a powerful reflection on the disillusionment of people who trade the difficult but meaningful fight for truth and purpose for a more comfortable but ultimately hollow existence. 

The metaphor speaks to the human tendency to avoid hardship by settling for illusions of control and comfort, even if it means living a limited, unfulfilled life, much like the one through "delulu." 

The delusion has been encouraging younger people to abandon the difficult path of confronting real-world challenges and fighting for meaningful relationships, careers, or societal changes in favour of self-satisfying fallacies. 

The idea of retreating into fantasies gives young people the illusion of playing the lead roles in their personal worlds, but these roles are self-contained cages of ignorance. There should never be any trend or curtain over the fact that the mere walk-on parts in our wars, in this case, life itself, are bound to be messy and painful. 

But when we have an objective, we'll no longer need to be on a quest for blissful ignorance.

Sketch: TBS

Tasbir Iftekhar is a communications professional. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.