Whether it is Tyler Durden from Fight Club or Agent K from Blade Runner 2049, the wave of literally me characters have inspired a wave of lonely men. The question is, what is a literally me character?
These characters are not without their flaw. If so, why do we feel their plea on such a deeper level? You see, most of the time, a relatable character isn’t just someone people see themselves in. It can be a respite, a respite from their problems and their struggles to survive.
There is a wave of loneliness, for both men and women. However, men are going through something much more potent. Aside from the burden of the family, they have the obligation to “be someone” in this world, otherwise they will mean nothing to anyone.
These literally me characters aren’t just for memes, they inspire men to be better versions of themselves, even though the message isn’t what the producers were hoping to achieve.
What Is A Literally Me Character? A Deep Dive Into The Big Three
Let’s look at what a literally me character is and the three of the most relatable literally me characters prevalent in the norm right now.
What Is A Literally Me Character?
A literally me character is someone from movies, TV shows or fiction who the audience, particularly the males in the current norm, identify quite deeply on a personal level. People on social media use them as a medium to express their own thoughts, opinions and personalities that reflect in the character.
The character’s actions resonate deeply with the people watching them leading the audience to feel as though the character represents them in the literal sense, thus, the ‘literally me’ tag.
Analyzing Patrick Bateman, Tyler Durden And Agent K
The three characters we will look at are perfect examples of what men see themselves as. You are either Patrick Bateman, a person who is extremely particular about taking care of himself and is the epitome of self improvement (all the killer tendencies aside)
You can also be Agent K who is lonely and uses technology to soothe his loneliness while carrying about his work day like nothing is wrong. One can also be Tyler Durden, who does not care about earthly possessions and cares much about sending a message to the world through his medium.
All three are literally me characters. Men are either one of these or a mix of them. But if we analyze these characters on a deeper level, we will know that the message they sent to the audience was not the one intended by the creators of said characters.
Think about it, Patrick Bateman is a psychopathic killer, Tyler Durden is a figment of someone who might suffer from Dissociative Identity Disorder and Agent K is an android. If so, why do these characters seem so relatable? Despite the fact that us men know who they are?
Why Are Literally Me Characters So Relatable?
Deep down, each man has something they really want to do. It can be anything, but they cannot because of certain responsibilities or drawbacks. These characters feel relatable because they portray a certain side of men.
The side that cannot find an outlet due to an obligation. The obligation to “take it like a man” or “be a man” in most situations. Patrick Bateman cares about being socially apt and relatable, he cares about fitting in while Tyler Durden does not. K is a separate breed as he does not talk too much with anyone and doesn’t seem too happy about being anywhere.
These characters might portray certain personality types but they all have one thing in common. Deep down, they are lonely. They have no one who thinks like them or someone who can satisfy a need when they get home at night.
Men are the same way. Due to the mass hysteria of the world and social media being more fake than ever, the only respite for modern men is to believe and relate to certain characters that they feel close to home to; even though they might not be “socially apt.”
The Verdict
In the end, relating or not relating to these characters cannot be categorized as right or wrong since everyone has their own way to cope in this world. Everyday is a struggle for survival and people are working harder than ever just to afford a decent meal. If the existence of a character can mean something than who is anyone to question a lonely man’s interpretation.
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