Why is everyone so scared of sincerity?
With the Oscars just around the corner, inevitably it is another year where Jimmy Kimmel gets to stand onstage and talk about how much he hates all the movies that are nominated. “Wasn’t ‘Oppenheimer’ long?” he asks the grinning audience of celebrities and seat-fillers. Long gone are the days of celebrating movies at the movie-celebrating show, now it has to be self-aware, just like everything else. This plague of self-awareness has caused everything, including- but not limited to- our entertainment, to feel a little miserable. Everything from the drab and stoic redesigns of fast food buildings to apathetic comments left by social media users in response to tragedy suggests a broader problem with present culture. Within the last ten years, many people have developed a fear of sincerity, and being earnest about anything has become a rarity.
Movies and TV shows are probably the most heinous example of the modern aversion to sincerity. Every movie now has to be nauseatingly self-aware and disingenuous. Disney’s incessant light ribbing of their own tropes comes to mind, as well as the industry plague of needless fourth-wall breaks to remind viewers of how bad the film’s script is. Movie musicals are at a cultural low in terms of popularity, and part of the issue is studios are afraid to look “silly” by treating their musical as a musical. Every character now must cheekily ask “Why are we singing?” and completely ruin the immersion. All the earnest parts of the medium are gone, because God forbid you make a movie that feels genuine.
As stated before, this can be seen in today’s architecture. There have always been simple, boring buildings, as there are many structures that prioritize appearance over functionality, however uninteresting they may look. Unfortunately, it almost seems as though being a “boring building” is now the new cool for today’s real estate developers. Growing up in Los Angeles, my old urban neighborhood is practically unrecognizable. Two of my three childhood homes have been destroyed, replaced with more white, rectangular estates devoid of personality. Restaurants like McDonalds and Pizza Hut were once known for their unique buildings that could be spotted a mile away. Today, the difference between the two exteriors is barely noticeable from a parking lot. Every company has seemed to take the “fun” out of their business model, opting to make their brand appearance to better fit alongside its contemporaries in a mall.
In a world that has become so turned off on the idea of being genuine, it has become more important than ever to do so. With the recent horrors in Gaza, it has become an impulse for many to throw up their arms and say “It isn’t my problem.” Sure, they might post an infographic on their story. However, there is a lack of sincerity to go with it. I’ve been listing somewhat superficial examples to make my point simple, but the fact is simply that it’s a larger issue than I could possibly describe. Nobody can make change in the world if they aren’t genuine. To be honest with yourself is to be earnest in the world.
