What Guilty Pleasures Teach Us About Ourselves
Midjourney
You Should Know: We all have at least one guilty pleasure — that song, movie, or food we love but would be horrified if our friends knew about. Research has found things qualify as guilty pleasures when they’re inconsistent with our values (a health nut secretly scarfing Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos) or social expectations (reading romance novels instead of serious literature).
Going Deeper: Most guilty pleasures are food- or media-related. Even though we may hide them from others, they can actually tell us a lot about who we are: what we value, who we aspire to be, what we hide versus what we share about ourselves, and how much we’re influenced by our peers and social norms.
Takeaway: If our guilty pleasures are embarrassing, why do we engage with them? Research has shown it goes far deeper than just boredom. Most of us actively seek them out as a way to self-soothe and escape from stress and daily pressures. And the guilt might actually make us like them more.
Bottom Line: Guilty pleasures are totally normal. If they aren’t actively harmful and help you to relax and feel happy, ditch the guilt and embrace the pleasure.
