Summarised Article – I Want to Fit in! The Rise of #LiterallyMe, by Hannah Pettit
The concept of ‘literally me’, has increasingly became apparent recently, where a certain cohort of particularly young men on social media openly idolise characters from films.
The ‘literally me’ trend began back in 2018, when a Facebook user posted a meme depicting a male teenager sitting in front of a laptop comparing himself to five actors smoking cigarettes, including Al Pacino in Scarface(1983), Keanu Reeves in Constantine (2005) and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942).
Within two years, the post received more than 2,900 shares, 540 reactions and 250 comments and soon spread to multiple social media platforms resulting in users comparing themselves to characters in TV and video games, but most popular movie characters.
The average male ‘literally me’ character is disconnected from society, struggles from mental health and emotions, and is unable to fit in.
Common characters include:
o Patrick Bateman from American Psycho (2000)
o Tyler Durden from Fight Club (1999)
o Office K from Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
And many more…
Due to the similar traits, including being lonely social rejects who share dissatisfaction with the world and act on it and rebel against society due to their poor treatment - they are memorable, complex characters.
To a less radical extent, female ‘literally me’ equivalents also exist, typically they dress alternatively, suffer traumatic experiences and isolate themselves from others.
Common characters include:
o Jo March from Little Women (2019)
o Amy Dunne from Gone Girl (2014)
o Nina Sayers from Black Swan (2010)
And many more…
These male and female characters all embody ‘doomer’ culture, which exposes an extremely pessimistic and nihilistic outlook on life and deep concerns for global issues.
The deeper meaning behind ‘literally me’ arguably could be that it is a way for those to cope and feel see themselves reflected in a character for comfort and reassurance. But the result is a vicious cycle, as this unhealthy approach results in a swarming mass of toxicity, misogyny and general hatred. These ‘sigma males’ go on to form hate groups and cults rooted to these radical characters.
George Gerbner’s studies reveals that while television might not cause a certain behaviour, over time it can significantly alter viewers perceptions of the world. There is not enough concrete evidence of the degree to which peoples identities are altered and it is highly likely that some of these people sharing ‘literally me’ content do not particularly identify with the characters but instead find the meme funny and ironic but in all jokes, there is an element of truth and it is alarming to consider that to some extent that some of these characters are so deeply admired that their behaviours are being replicated.
In conclusion, while no one is perfect, flawed protagonists who grapple with societal expectations are often easier to relate to.
Unlike idealised heroes, e.g. Captain America, characters deemed ‘literally me’ resonate because their imperfections feel authentic.
Though some may view this identification as misguided or controversial, the comfort these characters provide clearly speaks to many today’s society.
