Uploaded December 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Main character syndrome has been plaguing the world since the conception of the internet. With chronically online cases one the rise, and very individualistic western world, comes a new problem: the “what about me” effect. First coined by TikToker Sarah Lockwood, this effect has become more and more prevalent over the past few years. Today, we’ll be looking at what this effect is, some popular examples of it, and why it’s harmful to our overall society. Let me know what you think. I hope you all enjoy!
✓Related Videos✓
➢Not even Emily’s video youtu.be/Mx0Tm-gqLNw?si=qfwgHOGct3sTLBY8
➢Nicole Rafiee’s video youtu.be/ZiFxd70Wg-g?si=jNT9SECEacAvSbZy
➢Zoe Unlimited’s video youtu.be/H6KnsIYswk8?si=HM-jlGCzsBV0qRFE
➢Rebal D’s video youtu.be/5gfEvhSXcmQ?si=U4ALoVv0UaLCDXAI
✓Sources✓
➢What is the “what about me?” effect independent.co.uk/life-style/what-about-me-effect-tiktok-main-character-b2428893.html
➢HuffPost what about me huffpost.com/entry/what-about-me-effect-tik-tok-bean-soup_l_6525a8d9e4b0102e6963c51b#:~:text=As%20Lockwood%20explains%20in%20the,personalized%20situation%2C%20instead%20of%20recognizing
➢Psychology of what about me integrative-psych.org/resources/what-about-me-effect-exploring-the-psychology-of-social-media-behavior
➢The problems with main character syndrome psychologytoday.com/us/blog/digital-world-real-world/202106/the-trouble-main-character-syndrome
➢How to be a positive main character womenshealthmag.com/life/a42043426/main-character-syndrome
➢Hyperindividualism problems city-journal.org/article/the-problem-of-hyper-individualism
➢Tube girl trend nbcnews.com/pop-culture/tube-girl-inspires-unapologetic-self-expression-women-tiktok-rcna118358
✓Socials✓
➤Instagram instagram.com/luke_kono
➤Twitter twitter.com/lukekono
➤TikTok tiktok.com/@lukekono?lang=en
➤Goodreads goodreads.com/user/show/83729435-luke
✓Extra Info✓
➤Footage- iPhone 14 Pro Max
➤Audio- iPhone 14 Pro Max
➤Editing Software- Final Cut Pro on 2019 MacBook Pro
➤Thumbnail- Canva Pro
“Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for ‘fair use’ for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarships, and research. Fair use is permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.”
All clips, sounds, and images belong to their respective owners.
Main character syndrome has been plaguing the world since the conception of the internet. With chronically online cases one the rise, and very individualistic western world, comes a new problem: the “what about me” effect. First coined by TikToker Sarah Lockwood, this effect has become more and more prevalent over the past few years. Today, we’ll be looking at what this effect is, some popular examples of it, and why it’s harmful to our overall society. Let me know what you think. I hope you all enjoy!
✓Related Videos✓
➢Not even Emily’s video youtu.be/Mx0Tm-gqLNw?si=qfwgHOGct3sTLBY8
➢Nicole Rafiee’s video youtu.be/ZiFxd70Wg-g?si=jNT9SECEacAvSbZy
➢Zoe Unlimited’s video youtu.be/H6KnsIYswk8?si=HM-jlGCzsBV0qRFE
➢Rebal D’s video youtu.be/5gfEvhSXcmQ?si=U4ALoVv0UaLCDXAI
✓Sources✓
➢What is the “what about me?” effect independent.co.uk/life-style/what-about-me-effect-tiktok-main-character-b2428893.html
➢HuffPost what about me huffpost.com/entry/what-about-me-effect-tik-tok-bean-soup_l_6525a8d9e4b0102e6963c51b#:~:text=As%20Lockwood%20explains%20in%20the,personalized%20situation%2C%20instead%20of%20recognizing
➢Psychology of what about me integrative-psych.org/resources/what-about-me-effect-exploring-the-psychology-of-social-media-behavior
➢The problems with main character syndrome psychologytoday.com/us/blog/digital-world-real-world/202106/the-trouble-main-character-syndrome
➢How to be a positive main character womenshealthmag.com/life/a42043426/main-character-syndrome
➢Hyperindividualism problems city-journal.org/article/the-problem-of-hyper-individualism
➢Tube girl trend nbcnews.com/pop-culture/tube-girl-inspires-unapologetic-self-expression-women-tiktok-rcna118358
✓Socials✓
➤Instagram instagram.com/luke_kono
➤Twitter twitter.com/lukekono
➤TikTok tiktok.com/@lukekono?lang=en
➤Goodreads goodreads.com/user/show/83729435-luke
✓Extra Info✓
➤Footage- iPhone 14 Pro Max
➤Audio- iPhone 14 Pro Max
➤Editing Software- Final Cut Pro on 2019 MacBook Pro
➤Thumbnail- Canva Pro
“Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for ‘fair use’ for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarships, and research. Fair use is permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.”
All clips, sounds, and images belong to their respective owners.
