Escapism, by definition, is the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy. 

As we look at the world around us now, there is a change in the air. With the consistent rise of fascism across the world, Europe experiencing record-breaking heat waves, plastic in every meal we eat, and the bombardment of deep fake AIs, escapism is skyrocketing. With the unpleasant reality of having to face the chaos that has been building, many people are continually turning to things such as reading fantasy romance novels, spending hours online or even collecting small plastic toys, all whilst trying to follow the micro fashion trends – whether it’s cottage core or leopard print clothes. 

For example, the increase in the genre of ‘Romantasy’ – a mix of fantasy and romance has seen a 41% growth since the popularity of Book-Tok. These books offer an escape from the world we live in, showing main characters who always defeat the bad guy, while at the same time managing to fall in love. Not only do characters fall in love, but so do we, with romantic words and erotic sex scenes that hardly live up to reality. We read the epic trials as characters make their way through fantastical landscapes; with forests that have moving eyes and beasts that have golden scales, we are transported into a new world where we become the hero we read, going on tireless journeys in order to save our one true love, no matter what the cost. These books are so absurd compared to our own lives that they provide the perfect escape from life. Exchanging the idea of doing the dishes with the idea of defeating enemies and saving worlds.

However, escapism isn’t just something that is confined to pages of a book or pictures on a screen. Collecting figurines such as Sonny Angels or even Labubu’s has also become somewhat of a rising trend. These small plastic toys have developed into items that you need to collect in order to feel real satisfaction, buying mystery boxes in the hope of making a dent in the collection. These small toys are used as a way to have a goal that is actually reachable. With the prices of living rising in places like the United States, Europe and even here in our windy little city, we can see the growth of attachment to these collectable toys in order to feel a sense of ownership. People turn towards the collecting of small plastic items rather than having to work towards goals that now seem so far out of their reach, which not only gives them a false sense of achievement but can also create an online community embedded in consumerist culture. 

Social media also has a major part in this. Even though we are more connected than we have ever been throughout history, at the same time, we are also the most alienated we have ever been. Posting perfectly curated carousels that only show us with smiles on our faces and a backdrop of somewhere magical, this transforms our reality into a fantasy. Rock formations that seem painted against blue skies, to images of bodies highlighted through colourful lights in clubs, and the portrayal of a perfect life. We use our social media as a way to escape into the perfect version of our own lives. We also turn to books and movies as a way to not only break free from our reality but also our virtual reality. When we feel as though we are constantly performing for an online presence, the only easy escape is to get lost in another world.

The rise of the ‘tradwife’ aesthetic is also something that has had an influence when it comes to the rise of escapism. People like Nara Smith are going viral for spending up to eight hours in a kitchen making cheetos from scratch on a marble counter, and in a time where this amount of free time is unattainable to most, it’s not the idea of cooking that they escape to, it’s the feeling of watching ten hours neatly wrapped up into five five-minute TikTok videos. 

Escapism is necessary for our survival; the need to create and consume is not entirely new. However, as we move into an era where hyper-personalised algorithms and instant gratification shape our phones, the content we consume is rarely made for our benefit.

Finding an authentic influencer feels harder and harder as sponsorships slowly take over their content, but that doesn’t stop us from getting sucked down rabbit holes or trapped in echo-chambers. We are often stuck on the idea of a comfortable life, so when it comes to taking a stand for things that matter, we would rather overlook them than confront the issues that surround us constantly. We are falling into a cycle of forgetting that where we put our time matters. We cannot stand by and watch the revolution because we are the revolution.