This Is The Resurgence Of A Killer: The Rise Of Escapism During Uncertain Times
Image Source: IMDb
“Bella! Where the hell have you been, loca?” When Jacob Black uttered these words in Twilight Saga: New Moon, a meme was born. Then over the years, a cult-like following emerged. In 2005, the Twilight saga began its chokehold on adolescent girls (and their moms) with the release of the first book in the series, Twilight. It only amplified in 2008, when the movie based on the book was unleashed onto the public. While there were the diehard fans who kept it moderately alive through the years, it did slightly fade out of the extreme popularity that it had in the mid-2000s.
Now, thanks to COVID, TikTok, and a group on Facebook called “Twilight Sh*tposting” (which boasts nearly 443 thousand members),” the return of Twilight’s popularity has reached a fever pitch as it is being introduced to a new generation. The teens who went absolutely feral for Edward and Jacob now have children of their own who are the same age as they were. As of this writing, searching “Twilight” on the Hot Topic website will yield 172 results. And yes, they are as ridiculous as you think they are.
Image Source: Hot Topic
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The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines escapism as “habitual diversion of the mind to purely imaginative activity or entertainment as an escape from reality or routine.” People are constantly looking for a distraction from their everyday lives, whether internal, external, or both. Movies, cooking, daydreaming, music, television, sport, and meditation are all forms of escapism.
Escapism is a form of self-care that leaves a person rejuvenated and re-energized. It is a light in a dark time. What is also interesting is those trends tend to have a direct correlation with economic uncertainty, such as a period of recession. With a possible recession looming in the not-so-distant future, distance, people are turning to escapism more and more.
Image Source: KQED
Trends are cyclical, with nearly every trend coming back in a particular timeframe. It varies from trend to trend, so there is no way to predict exactly when a trend will return, but we can get close by observing the past. For example, fashion trends come and go roughly every 20 or so years, with the 1970s bell bottoms coming back in the 1990s (except we called them “flares/bootcuts”), and the 1990s flower riot grrl style (which also took queues from the 1970s) returning with a vengeance in the early 2020s.
Pop culture trends are no exception, especially with nostalgia at an all-time high. So much of the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s are all either getting rebooted, revisited, or streamed on our favorite platforms. The Jonas Brothers are back together! Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling was a masterpiece! And Steve from Blue’s Clues returns to tell us what every single person needed to hear. That he was proud of us.
Image Source: The New York Times
Reading is also another form of escapism. The fantasy genre is escapist in nature by transporting both the reader and the protagonist into a richly detailed world with the subtext of wonder. We are free to let our minds wander as we read each word. In the late 2000s recession, the fantasy and sci-fi genres saw some of their highest numbers in sales. This time around, not only is there a rise in fantasy and sci-fi, but also romance, specifically romantic comedy, and steamy romance.
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath gave us the before and after glimpses of the Great Depression. The Hunger Games was released in 2008 and stayed on bestseller lists for nearly two years. The trilogy set in dystopian United States grabbed the attention of millions of readers during the recession, planting thoughts in our minds that Panem could become our reality.
Movies during recessions are also an interesting subject. Studios tend to stay away from new and original properties so that they do not have to purchase the rights to those works. Instead, they tend to stay within their own intellectual properties. You will see more tentpole franchises than you will arthouse films. If the current financial environment continues the way it has been, we will soon be heading into another recession (if it has not started already). Get ready for more DC, Marvel, and Star Wars!
Music is once again back to its disco era, with Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia calling back high hats and dance-heavy numbers, and duo Silk Sonic winning numerous Grammys, all while looking like they stepped right out of an episode of Soul Train. David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust character was created during The Troubles in Northern Ireland. Beyonce and Drake both released house-genre dance albums in 2022. During recessions or times with low morale (think 1970s New York City), artists tend to focus on musical styles that have made them (or others) happy in the past.
Image Source: The Wall Street Journal
Many new and creative outlets emerge during uncertain times. We are at home, left to our own devices, turning to complete strangers on the internet to emote on TikTok or reverting back to our childhoods when times were simpler. We tend to stay with what we know and what makes us happy. Mentally retreating back to a time when you did not have to worry about where your next meal was coming from or whether or not the lights were going to be cut off, gives that dopamine hit that we’re all chasing.
Escapism is different for everyone, but it unites us more than we’ll ever know. Discovering that someone (or many someones) shares the same random niche as you makes it all the better and more enjoyable. After living through at least one recession, people are prepared to do whatever it takes to escape from the brutal reality.
By the way, Jacob, we’ve been here the whole time.
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