Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte season is upon us.
Girls everywhere are posting pictures of Instagramable pumpkin patches and Bath and Body Works is likely rubbing their metaphorical hands together with glee over the number of people who are buying their seasonal candles by the basketful.
These are typically mocked aspects of fall weather that are connected to girls and their enjoyment of them.
The “basic bitch” trope has merit to it, like many other lightly mocking internet delegated terms, but it’s left me saying “who cares?”
I’ll be upfront and say right here, right now, that I fit into that category more easily than most.
I hoard fall-themed candles like it’s my duty, I sip on overpriced cups of spiced beverages with glee and I think Halloween is the best occasion of the year.
I love all things associated with fall and I’d be a hypocrite to judge anyone else for it just because they share multiple photos of pumpkins and Pillsbury cookies on Instagram.
Liking popular things shouldn’t define you as an uninteresting or boring person.
That leads to a more common issue that I see with that particular line of thinking; the idea that you can only enjoy something with pride if no one has ever heard of it before or it’s just niche enough to make you seem like an intellectually superior hipster.
Women who enjoy watching romantic comedies or wearing UGGs — even though I think they’re ugly as sin, but to each their own — shouldn’t be treated like they’re devoid of a personality because of it.
If it makes them happy, then more power to them. I, like anyone else, can be judgemental about the things people do and what they choose to post online. But if it’s harmless, at the end of the day it shouldn’t really matter to anyone else.
Men are praised for being bros, for liking common male interests. Give a guy Fortnite, CrossFit and a beer and they’re respected, as much as anyone on the internet can be.
Yet, our desire and fixation on presenting ourselves as unique sometimes impede in our ability to just enjoy things for what they are.
I love trashy television and crappy horror movies. I find them endlessly entertaining. Does that mean it’s my only pastime pleasure? No, but I shouldn’t be treated like I’m uncivilized because I don’t fill my time with independent experimental films — sometimes it’s nice to just turn off your brain and enjoy the outrageous reality shows provided by TLC.
Originality is a concept that I don’t really believe exists anymore. No matter who you are or what you’re doing, it’s pretty much guaranteed that someone else has done it before you.
But so what? Why should our obsession with being the most original beings on the planet prevent us from just liking what we like, regardless of whether it’s “in-trend” or not?
Heaven forbid someone else enjoys the once unknown craft beer you like or your formerly treasured indie band is now really popular.
Shared interests with multiple people shouldn’t be the ultimate downfall of a particular piece of entertainment or activity.
I don’t see the problem with girls huddled around their Starbucks cups trying to get photos of their coffee or posting snaps of their Blundstones in the leaves.
If it makes them happy, then more power to them. I, like anyone else, can be judgemental about the things people do and what they choose to post online. But if it’s harmless, at the end of the day it shouldn’t really matter to anyone else.
