Guilty pleasures.
We all have them. Some of mine would be watching "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," listening to country music, and loving the Food Network and HGTV more than any other channel. These are all activities I love taking part in and enjoy doing, but the phrase "guilty pleasure" makes me feel like I should be ashamed in doing so.
A guilty pleasure is defined as something someone enjoys taking part in or enjoys despite the fact that it is not well regarded by society. So my question is, who cares? What makes us all unique and interesting are all the different hobbies and interests we have. If we all liked the same music, sports, food or clothing, the world would be a very boring place. I don’t want to feel guilty for being different.
One of my lease favorite questions that people ask as an ice breaker is “What is your guilty pleasure?” Either you find out that the other person has the same one as you do and you can bond over it, or you face some type of scrutiny or comment such as, “Oh really? You like the Kardashians? They are all too stupid and shallow for my taste.” A comment like that leaves me feeling like maybe I’m not as intelligent as this other person or that I should make up a more “acceptable” guilty pleasure the next time I am asked. If everyone has one, why is there so much shame attached? I’ve never met someone who said that they didn’t have a guilty pleasure, and if I did, I would probably judge them more for not having one than any guilty pleasure they could have.
I believe that our guilty pleasures say more about us than the mainstream activities we enjoy. In America, we celebrate individuality and diversity, so our interests are bound to align with how different we all are. By no means am I saying that it is bad to have mainstream hobbies, but personally, I know that I feel a greater bond with another person when he or she shares a guilty pleasure of mine over something that I know a lot of people like.
A guilty pleasure is a social construct. We never feel guilty about doing it in the moment, but if someone were to see us doing it or we have to tell someone about it, that’s when the guilt comes in. If we all came together and decided to stop feeling guilty about what we like, we could all live happier lives. Proudly watch those reality television shows that you enjoy, or show your friend that song you love that might not be as popular as others. By sharing our passions in life we can become more diverse and no longer have to feel that guilt.
