Hallie Shiotsu – Co-editor in Chief

Monica and Chandler. Jim and Pam. Percy and Annabeth. Katniss and Peeta. We’ve probably all heard these duos, and countless other fictional pairs, referred to as “the power couple” or “soulmates” or some other trending label idolizing the couple’s undeniable compatibility. Because why wouldn’t they be? Who could deny their obvious chemistry? Whether watching these couples complete small acts of service for each other or reading about how they stayed together despite all the odds, we all wish our relationships could find such a happy ending. We all wish that someone would care about us with the same unyielding devotion. Essentially,
we see these fictional couples as the epitome of what the “perfect” relationship should be–of what our own relationships could be. Except these relationships aren’t real. And neither are the idealistic standards we find ourselves basing our personal expectations for romance on. This seemingly realistic facade of these fictional relationships can be linked to the concept of hyperreality. First coined by French philosopher Jean Baudrillard in his 1981 book Simulation and Simulacra, hyperreality describes the growing lack of distinction between the actual world we experience and the world perceived as realistic in the entertainment we consume. Baudrillard initially used this term to explain the divide between the modern and postmodern society he believes we live in today. In this postmodern world, people are more influenced and informed by the increasing presence of media, technology, and entertainment than the happenings of the tangible real world. For example, a realistic fiction novel chronicling life in New York City becomes our conception of what living in New York City is actually like. Thus, our reality becomes based on this fictional world, or hyperreality. With the prominence of social media in our current lives, we are constantly exposed to hyperreal depictions of romance. Such instances we see today are the growth of “Book-tok” and the creation of niche tropes within the romance genre; or popularized expressions like “if they wanted to, they would;” or the many over-saturated edits of whatever popular pairing (fictional or real) is trending. In all these cases, social media presents these romances as attainable and sometimes even expected. We begin to build our conception of love off the content we consume despite our own experiences, or lack thereof, with romance in the real world. We start believing in this hyperreal version of love where our personal standards are formed around the media’s definition of love. While I’m not calling to dismiss these romantic scenes as completely unrealistic or saying that the relationships you see on- line hold no substantial merit when setting boundaries and expectations, I caution fixating heavily on these sensationalized realities. No matter how reflective media may be of actual lived scenarios, it simply is and will always be just a reflection. So while it’s pleasant to romanticize your perfect partner with all the grand qualities you see on screen, take it with a grain of salt. Remember that these are curated scenarios. Focus on your current relationships and the special uniqueness that makes that love real.