Individualism, confidence and turning heads all describe main character energy, a mindset in which self-assurance transforms everyday moments into scenes from a movie. 

The concept of main character energy gained massive traction on social media platforms like TikTok and has become a symbol of elevated self-worth and confidence. 

Embraced by young women and influencers alike, the trendy term and lifestyle have started to blur the line between self-love and selfishness. 

While embracing main character energy has empowered many women to build a deeper sense of confidence, it has also raised concerns that empathy for others might be overlooked in the pursuit of self-focused growth. 

Social media and advertising often distort the narrative of individuality, selling polished, picture-perfect personas instead of encouraging genuine confidence. 

Many social media users feel pressured to present an idealized image of confidence, valuing their self-worth based on how others perceive them. 

As Daniel Dashnaw observed in his blog post “Main character energy: How embracing your inner star can empower (or hinder) relationships,” “The constant need for validation through likes, shares, and comments can fuel the desire to be seen as the ‘main character’ of not just our own lives, but the digital space as well.” 

As self-love becomes increasingly commercialized and social media’s influence intertwines confidence with a capitalistic narrative, it becomes harder to distinguish genuine authenticity from performance. 

Many influencers carefully craft an appearance of self-assuredness to gain external validation, which often mirrors traits associated with narcissism. 

While both confidence and narcissism are associated with positive feelings toward self-worth, true confidence is grounded in self-assurance and empathy, while narcissism is marked by an inflated ego and a lack of regard for others.

According to Campbell, Goodie and Foster in the 2004 Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, “Narcissists differentially think that they are special and unique and that they are entitled to more positive outcomes in life than others.” 

Narcissism often carries a negative connotation that discourages exploring its true nature, even though it is likely that everyone exhibits some narcissistic tendencies.

Most narcissistic behaviors start at a young age, and some would argue that these tendencies stem from childhood environments of entitlement, excessive praise or neglect of emotional needs. 

That said, not all influencers who embrace the main character lifestyle thrive on excessive praise or embody entitlement. However, some do visibly exhibit narcissistic behavior, using social media as a platform to seek validation and reinforce an inflated sense of self-importance. 

This makes it difficult for young women seeking empowerment from influencers to navigate between authentic individuality and performances created to make a profit.

Dashnaw referred to this phenomenon as “cinematic cultural narcissism.” 

 “As social media platforms allow folks to curate their lives like movies, there’s a growing emphasis on personal narratives and self-promotion.”

Rather than building genuine confidence, social media culture amplifies curated personas that lack authenticity, shaping a society where confidence is built on imitating the idealized lives of online personas. 

This is all to say that the digital world is filled with aesthetics and products designed to help you become the main character in your story, but practicing genuine personal growth can turn life into a movie where the supporting cast is equally valued and celebrated along the way.