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You Delulu?

You may be more tuned in than I am. I was baffled when I was reading some political newsletter and came across the description of someone in public life as “delulu.”

“De-what-huh?” I thought.

ChatGPT to the rescue. “‘Delulu’ is internet slang short for ‘delusional.’ It’s usually used jokingly to describe someone who has a delusional belief, often about romance, success, or a favorite celebrity.”

They say “delulu” emerged a decade ago as a K-pop term for obsessed fans having parasocial relationships with their Korean musical idols. Buying their music, going to their concerts … and imagining that they’ll wind up with some kind of personal, intimate connection.

That might have seemed derogatory, but since then, it’s flipped into a lighthearted, playful, and sometimes even empowering term.

Now young people use “delulu” to describe the individual who hypes themselves up well beyond the actual situation supported by facts or who manifests a reality by sheer willpower.

That Gen Z rebrand is appealing.

You’ll see it all over Instagram and TikTok in plentiful posts about believing you can influence your destiny with your state of mind.

They say “delulu is the solulu.” They mean self-confidence, warranted or not, is the solution for your career problems. Well, when you put it that way …

It harkens back to the days when everyone was talking about manifesting and the Law of Attraction. And remember back even farther when we used to say, “fake it till you make it”?

I’m all for that kind of positive mindset!

And here’s a perfect upbeat fit. Meghan Trainor’s new album includes her song, “Delulu.”

Knowing it was translating for me, ChatGPT cautioned that context counts.

It told me “delulu” could be playful or self-deprecating: “I’m being delulu again.”

Or teasing toward someone else: “You’re so delulu.”

Or it could be seriously critical, suggesting somebody is genuinely out of touch with reality.

“So, if someone calls you delulu,” the bot informed me, “they’re usually saying you’re being unrealistically optimistic or imagining something that’s probably not true. 😄”

Here’s something that is true.

I hope it’s not delulu, but I want to have some conversations with a few Millennials and people from Gen Z.

I’m on the storytelling team for Indivisible Chicago Northwest. My assignment for our newsletter: explore the unique ways younger adults have been impacted by this administration and their feelings about politics in general as well as their unique financial challenges.

But there’s a reason I need AI to translate Gen Z lingo—let’s just say the people I spend time with are not in their 20s and 30s!

If you can connect me with a Zillennial who’d be open to a chat, or if you are a Zillennial with opinions to share, please reach out!