Why Everyone Thinks They’re the Main Character (And Why That Might Be a Problem)

It’s giving cinematic universe energy.

One minute you’re sipping iced coffee with oversized sunglasses and playlist-worthy angst, the next you’re narrating your life’s drama like it’s Euphoria meets Fleabag.

If you’ve ever stared out a car window with rain trailing down the glass and thought, “This moment is so me,” congratulations — you might be experiencing Main Character Syndrome™.

And no shade — we’ve all been there.
But what happens when everyone starts living like the star of their own movie… at the exact same time?

The Rise of the Main Character Era

Blame TikTok. Or Instagram. Or that one influencer who turned a walk to Trader Joe’s into a cinematic montage.

Main Character Energy (MCE) isn’t just a vibe — it’s practically a personality type now.

Social media made it normal (and addictive) to see our lives through a curated, aesthetic-first lens. Cue the dreamy B-rolls, inner monologues, and dramatic declarations like:

“I’m not a morning person, I’m a tortured artist in a capitalist hellscape.”

But here’s the twist:
When everyone’s performing their story like it’s the story, it gets harder to… connect.

Not Everyone Can Be the Star

If you’ve ever been in a group project with three “leaders,” you know what happens: chaos.

Same thing applies socially.
When we all see ourselves as the protagonist, we unintentionally cast others as side characters — or worse, as villains.

That friend who didn’t text back? She’s not ghosting you, she’s just tired.
That guy who rejected you? He’s not your personal antagonist — he just wasn’t that into you.

And that’s okay.

MCE becomes a problem when it centers us so deeply that we forget the world isn’t orbiting around our plotline.

The Pressure to Be “Interesting”

Main Character Energy also sets unrealistic expectations.

You’re not allowed to just exist — you have to be iconic.
Have a messy room? Not aesthetic.
Feeling stuck in life? Plot hole.

This mindset makes us chase constant excitement or aesthetic validation… which is exhausting.

Sometimes, life is just walking to the fridge in a hoodie and staring at leftover lasagna.
And that’s fine.

There’s Beauty in Being Background, Too

Here’s a wild thought: you don’t have to be the main character to matter.

Sometimes, you’re someone else’s comic relief.
Or the friend who gives the pep talk.
Or the stranger who helps someone without even realizing it.

And all of that is so human.

As Vision said (because we’re clearly in our Marvel era):

“A thing isn’t beautiful because it lasts.”

Life’s most beautiful moments are usually unfiltered, unnoticed, and un-Instagrammable.

And maybe that’s the real plot twist.