The amount of times I have heard the phrase, “___ is so basic” over the past several months is astounding. Whether it be a girl talking about another girl on social media or a guy talking about one of his friend’s girlfriends, the word “basic” seems to be a popular one in today’s culture. Yet, no one has stopped and defined what being basic means. Does anyone really know? So, I attempted to answer this question on my own, and in doing so came to the conclusion that we are all a little basic.

When hearing the phrase, “___ is so basic”, it’s usually connected to some type of photo or video on a social media platform. Commonly, I find myself overhearing people mutter this saying when looking at a photo of a girl in a swimsuit on a beach or with a picture of her sorority sisters from recruitment. And although I am able to see those commonalities, I still find myself wondering exactly what about having those kinds of photos makes someone basic.

Let’s go back to the root of the word here. According to the incredibly reliable source, Urban Dictionary disclaimer: that was sarcasm, this source is not credible- the word “basic” is “used to describe someone devoid of defining characteristics that might make a person interesting, extraordinary, or just simply worth devoting time or attention to.” Hmm, interesting. So essentially, based on the photos posted on someone’s social media platform, the public instantly assumes that person is not interesting because they’re posting the same photos as everyone else. Fair point, but still, so far from logical.

Taking a closer look at who is labeled “basic," we can also see that generally it’s used to describe girls and not guys. While I understand why this might be the case, isn’t it true that guys also post similar photos? Fraternity pictures, photos from sporting events, and snapshots of them and their dates from formals? If this is the case, then it’s not just women who are basic, but men too.

After devoting far too much time to the concept of what makes someone basic, I arrived at one simple conclusion: everyone is basic. If you have an Instagram or Snapchat and you are posting the same photos as everyone else and lacking, as Urban Dictionary would say, “defining characteristics,” then you are just as basic as everyone else.

So, the next time, “___ is so basic” comes out of your mouth, just remember that the very individual you believe to be basic may be saying the exact same thing about you. After all, if the only distinction between the pictures they post and the ones you posted is the separation of screens, then maybe you really aren’t that different from one another. Because the reality is, if we all have the same pictures and post the same kinds of things, we are all “so basic.”