So You're Basic... Now What?

She’s So Basic.

We’ve all said it. So much so that it’s become a sort of cultural slur. I consider myself to be someone who has always striven to be out of the ordinary, to go against the grain (sometimes to a fault), to come across as enigmatic and effortlessly unique. Mediocrity is my greatest fear.  So being called “basic” is about the biggest affront to my cultivated persona as I can imagine.  

You might say that might be an extreme reaction to such a small part of our cultural dialogue.

You would be right, but we can unpack my personal neurocies another time.

Opinion aside, “basic” is a descriptor that has become quite common in the cultural zeitgeist—but  what does it really mean to be basic? Surely it’s more than an affinity for Ugg boots and over-sweetened coffee beverages…

For me, basic is an inability or aversion to stepping outside of one’s comfort zone, too that point that most of your days not only look the same, but look the same as days of the people around you.

There is a reason so many girls fall under the “Basic” umbrella, and why so many of us love wearing matching fur-lined boots with our best friends and drinking nonfat triple shot venti caramel frappuccinos, and getting brunch whenever.fucking.possible. Because brunch is the best, and frappuccinos taste good, and Uggs are so goddam comfortable. These sweet, furry, bottomless necessities fill our basic needs. Also—it makes us feel safe. Following the herd is safe, like, sociologically speaking. Throughout history, women have been held to higher, stricter standards than men. Standards for which, when broken, we are severely punished, ostracized by our own, or even killed.

So of course the default is to stick to the basics… to stick to basic.

Often we settle for lives filled with simple, easy pleasures - the ones we know will make us happy, because they make everyone else happy.  Enjoying simple pleasures is not a crime, but it is a crime to let the tastes of the masses dictate the landscape of your own desires.  So we find ourselves in a classic basic / not basic struggle. How can we balance indulging in generic pleasures while still exploring more unique, cutting-edge pleasures.

We should try to elevate even the smallest aspects of our routine. Instead of a manicure, maybe follow your reading session with pottery class. Instead of the usual flick, maybe see a foreign film at the independent theater across town, or go to a museum or art gallery.  Put yourself in situations similar to those which are safe, but which force you to expand as an individual.

Basic is just a jumping off point. As we grow and learn and experience life, we should be able to move beyond basic, to be able to stand out in a crowd. We can always throw our hair into a top-knot and disappear into the herd when when need some comfort and stability, but it should not and cannot be the default. There should be no default. Because you are an extraordinary individual. You are not the same as anyone else on this planet. You have a thousand things that are unique about you. You are anything but basic.