Children often will themselves to conjure up imaginary friends whenever they feel alone. This is a way of coping with the desperate feeling of loneliness, especially when a child has difficulties making friends. In these cases, children can form images of familiar figures they have come across. These figures can be cartoon characters, ad models, film stars, their relatives, etc. The most astonishing part about this coping mechanism is that the children completely believe that they have these “friends,” you cannot dispute this fact. When asked, they will list down a number of things that their ‘friends’ have done. They will even have proof. You see, in their minds, these imaginary friends are not at all a figment of their imagination. They are real people, people who have a large impact on their lives. This is concrete proof of how powerful the human mind is. What is Living in a Bubble Meaning refers to?
Our abilities to will our minds to create scenarios that benefit us is as magnificent as it is disturbing. Take a person who has suffered a life-changing trauma, for instance. In the event of losing someone very close to them, this person may choose to repress this loss’s memory, completely living on as if the death never occurred. More often than not, the person will pick an inanimate object and use their mind to mold this object into life, the life of the person they have lost. The human mind is strong enough to paint a mellow scenario over something completely horrendous. This same concept of us using our minds to keep us safe, to protect us from a lesser evil, is seen in the concept of living in a bubble.
What is Living in a Bubble Meaning Refers to?
Living in a bubble has often been used to mean many things, either positive or negative. Granted, when this phrase is uttered, it is usually done to pass negative connotations. Living in a bubble is often used to refer to someone who shuns all the harsh realities of life, their fears, their pain. The bubble refers to safety, and those living in it are regarded to be cowards. Their inability to face their problems head-on and using these bubbles to bar their challenges defines them as weak. Additionally, the phrase is used to refer to the naivety of a person. Someone who is yet to understand how the world operates will also be termed a tenant of the bubble.
These negative paintings of the bubble are not the only theories to exist concerning the concept. Living in a bubble can also mean something positive. It can be interpreted to fit people who do not let society or rather the world define who they are. They know their fears, they are well aware of the challenges, and they understand that the world is murky, dangerous, and dysfunctional. As a result of all of this, they choose not to let the negativity get to them, not because of fear or naivety but because they are hell-bent on succeeding in life.
These two ways are not the only ways to view life bubbles. Creatives are often accused of living in their own worlds, their “creative bubbles.” This is how you find a barely surviving musician because of a lack of basic needs like food and shelter, yet they do not quit the art. They continue creating their music. They continue unleashing brilliance unto the world even though it may never put food on their table. They shun away from their grim reality, choosing to give their sole focus on what they love. Choosing to reside in their bubbles gives them something that money cannot, happiness.
Creative bubbles do not just house people who are struggling in the creative industry. They also cater to minds that refuse to follow in society’s rigid steps—people whose consciousness will always wander off in the presence of their peers. People refuse to see outside the box because they are convinced that everyone is busy chasing the outside contents instead of looking at what is inside—their adamant stand against seeing things in black and white licenses them as members of this bubble. Creatives have the ability to paint a drab world yellow. They have the ability to create their own worlds. This does not necessarily scream anti-social behavior. The bubble is not meant to cut off people. Rather it is meant to help the creatives focus on their work. It is not an isolation pod but a working station. To be in touch with one’s inner creativity, it stands to reason that one should disconnect from the rest of the world and its many distractions to channel what they wish to create.
Clearly, many bubbles are depending on how one views the whole concept. Living in a bubble might seem weak to some, while this action might seem brave to others. Some use these bubbles to summon creativity, while others use these bubbles to run from their problems. You may be gallant and edgy or naïve and cowardly, depending on how you view the bubble.
Let us see how psychology deems this act of living in a bubble.
Psychological Reasons for Living in a Bubble
According to the humanistic perspective in psychology, human behavior is heavily dependent on our experiences. How we respond to the world is geared by our individual backgrounds, expectations, and desires. Since our experiences are virtually different, how we see the world will vary, no one can really understand another person’s experience even though they have encountered a similar experience. This means that we all live in different bubbles depending on the experiences we have encountered along the way. These realities are different because of our unique journeys. Therefore, we can theorize that our bubbles act as our lenses. We can see and evaluate our surroundings using these bubbles.
Psychology tries to understand why people choose to live in a bubble in the first place. Well, many people won’t say it, but no one really likes change. What we grow up believing in is what we want everyone to believe in. This will lead to us disputing other people’s views and opinions. Bubbles make us feel safe and comfortable. Embracing these new beliefs poke our bubbles and we are left exposed, seen. Fear of experiencing something other than what we are used to can be overwhelming. The bubble protects us from this fear. Take, for example, a social media bubble. We all wish to believe that everything we see on the internet about our social networks is true. We want to assume that the diverse posts we see on varied social media platforms sum up our social media counterparts’ lives.
Haven’t you ever ordered something online and received something completely different? You believed it to be perfect then until it arrived on your doorstep. You refused to entertain the thought that perhaps it may not exactly resemble the product you clicked on. You chose to remain in a safe bubble where this delivery will go unhitched. The truth is our bubbles can wind up doing more harm than good. Even when living in a bubble is a good thing, no one can attain a permanent residency in that bubble. One day the truth will come at your head fast, mauling the bubble to smithereens.
Pros and Cons of Living in a Bubble
While living in a bubble seems comfortable and safe, there are disadvantages tailored to the act. Let us pinpoint the advantage of living in a bubble.
Gives Room for You to Get the Work Done
If you tend to be easily distracted or are a huge empath, then sometimes living in the bubble is the best option there is for you. Cutting yourself from the horrors on the news and your immediate environment can help you focus on your projects. On the contrary, if you choose to soak in what is happening around you, you might take forever to complete your tasks. As we saw earlier, living in a bubble helps creatives find inspiration to complete their projects. Being in a state of mind that completely harnesses all your energy towards something productive is beneficial not only to you but also to the people around you.
Now that we know living in a bubble makes you productive, let us see why it is also not encouraged.
What You Do Not Know May Kill You
For example, let’s say that you do not watch the news because you fear experiencing the world’s dysfunctions. If a tsunami is approaching your place of residence, you will wind up dead because you refused to acknowledge that the world is not all rainbows and roses. The fact is, the world is a murky place, and to survive, you need to pop your bubble.
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