Everyone has seen or heard the word “whimsy” throughout the last year. Its popularity growing and trending throughout social media platforms. But why this specific trend? Why do we find ourselves commodifying this singular word into an action or movement in our lives?
Whimsy, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is playful or fanciful behavior, idea or humor, that is driven by imagination rather than reason.
This is very important, “driven by imagination rather than reason.” How many times in your life have you done something just to do it. When did you last act, not for a means to an end, not for a grade or praise, but out of pure enjoyment and desire.
This is a problem I find myself, as well as many others in our generation struggling with, a lack of desire, or rather a lack of pursuit of these desires.
We have forgotten as a society how to love the process.
Whether through school, family, or work, all the stress we face makes life harder, inevitably changing our goals from those of work to leisure to simple entertainment (Notably TikTok or reels). Allowing us to further bury our pursuits and trade them for short term gain because at the end of the long school or workday, that is all we have the energy for.
So why is it that we search for whimsy. Is it the freedom that we allow ourselves? Under this word and subsequent following actions, we allow ourselves to be driven by our desires and leave society no room to question us.
It is a safety blanket to our actions. A use of leisure time that isn’t mindless entertainment or a means to an end/production. And it became so popular as a break from society, a new facet of freedom to live under, the escape everyone was looking for.
So, throw caution to the wind, instead of scrolling the night away, take a walk, call that friend, or do a craft. Not because you need to, but because the process will bring you joy. Start new hobbies and build new habits.
Be driven to act for yourself, as the love for these new things will bleed love into your life and act without reason for the simple joy of it, because you deserve it.
No Comments.