"Delulu" Decoded
"Delulu," a playful slang term from social media, encapsulates the ironic yet friendly portrayal of daydreamers who immerse themselves in fanciful desires, balancing hope with the reality of their dreams.
Ashley Williams Fall-Winter 2020-2021, Daniele Oberrauch via Vogue.
We are increasingly immersed in newly created words, acronyms, slang, and it is difficult to immediately know their meaning. In this regard, you might have already heard the word "delulu" pronounced, especially while watching an online video. But what does this curious-sounding word mean?
It is one of the latest words to go viral in the world of social networks, increasingly used by Gen Z. It is a new trend, particularly born on TikTok, the popular short video app used by millions of users around the world. The term "delulu" originated in the U.S. around the end of 2022, but it seems to have started appearing in K-pop culture as early as the end of 2014, in music videos. This word derives from the English "delusional" which means "deluded," and we often hear it used by content creators on the web or read it in comment sections.
"Delulu" is used to describe a person or oneself when one daydreams while truly believing in one's fantasy, when one convinces oneself that unattainable desires are possible which then turn out to be disappointing, transporting us into a state of disillusionment. However, on social media, it is never pronounced in a negative or derogatory sense for the person to whom it refers but is intended in an ironic and friendly sense.
This word is used in most cases by girls, in videos that deal with relationships with boys as their topic. Here the girls talk about some of their behaviors that they believe are wrong, such as acting too available or even "doormat" with a boy. The classic case reported is to always forgive a boy for his disrespectful behavior toward them or wait for a boy who does not have the same feelings, suffering and losing self-esteem. Often, such videos are accompanied by songs that match their fantasies, including "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac, "Delusional" by Madison Beer, or even "Fantasy" by Mariah Carey.
This term that originated on social media is usually only used in that context, so we can call it slang. But through it, we essentially want to communicate that people must not delude themselves or be too detached from reality. Originally, however, "delulu" was born to ironically refer to the fans of a singer, an actor, or a celebrity who convinced themselves that they could date in real life, perhaps having a love relationship with them. Even in this case, it was not an offensive way to describe a person or a group of people, but always a joking way to represent those who tend to live in a fantasy world, without looking at the reality of the facts.
Other cases in which today we can find the term "delulu" used on social media are when a creator uses it to talk about his disillusioned experiences or those of his friends, or when referring to a person who stubbornly believes they will win a large sum of money in the lottery, solving every economic problem. In other cases, we can refer to people who imagine they are having a relationship with a VIP, people who believe they have a perfect life or the most important job in society, but who are then faced with a very different reality. Other examples of "delulu people" are those who believe they have thousands of fans or followers when this is not the case, those who are convinced that their ex-partner will come back begging to start the relationship again when in fact they have already made a new life elsewhere, or even those who believe they are a superhero with magical powers when they are a normal human being with their natural abilities.
As often happens, a trend that emerges from social networks is the mirror of social behavior that the new generations highlight in a given historical moment. To date, many people have wondered why the "delulu trend" is having so much success, also involving the opinions of psychologists and sociologists. According to these points of view, there is certainly a positive side to the delulu philosophy: firmly believing in one's desires and pursuing them helps to develop a sense of motivation and planning regarding one's objectives, with the consequence of strengthening self-confidence even when all circumstances seem adverse. And that's why this type of behavior is becoming very successful among younger generations.
But the delulu phenomenon is also linked to the need to escape from reality that many people have: a reality that can be stressful, frustrating, boring, or even painful. According to psychologists, constantly thinking about achieving goals outside of one's reach can lead the person to obsess and create exaggerated expectations. On the one hand, all this leads to escaping a reality that you don't like, to feel better. And up to a certain point, it can even be pleasant. The problem arises when a person lives only with fantasies, developing an addiction to them over time. In the case of a total loss of contact with reality, the danger of having strong disappointments, anxiety attacks, social isolation, and even depression is high.
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In conclusion, the word "delulu," so full of meaning and irony in the way it is used, reminds us how important it is to daydream, have desires, and try to realize them. All of us, during our lives, have been at least a little "delulu" at times. But at the same time, it lets us know that it is equally essential to maintain a balance between imagination and reality, between hope and rationality. After all, it is said that dreaming is a divine condition: being "delulu" also allows us to relax and have fun with our desires, but it is right to be honest with ourselves, remembering that life should be lived exactly the way it presents itself, with courage and determination.
