However, the right-wing manifestation of individualist ideology is only part of it. On the other hand, we see self-care culture, whose proponents are primarily liberal-leaning and openly embrace the language of mental health. This subculture suggests measures such as splurging, treating yourself, adjusting your diet and exercise habits, drinking water, seeking therapy, meditating, living holistically, and thinking positively as solutions to the rising rates of depression and anxiety. The cause of psychological ails, this logic suggests, is simply that people have lost focus on themselves. If only people would treat themselves better, then perhaps they would feel better. But aside from a narrow understanding of why human needs like proper nutrition and relaxation have declined in quality in recent decades, proponents of this subculture incorrectly believe that depression and anxiety are privatized problems—the result of mere chemical imbalances in the brains of individuals. The rise of self-care culture is reflected in its cooptation by the self-help industry. In an article titled “The Millennial Obsession With Self-Care,” NPR reports that millennials spend twice as much as baby boomers on products related to self-care. This is especially telling as millennials have been blamed for “killing” a range of industries because they have less disposable income than previous generations. The fact that millions of young people choose to spend their limited funds on self-care is indicative of deep dissatisfaction with capitalist society. Of course, it is good that a growing number of people are trying to address their mental health and that they are concerned with destigmatizing it. But more broadly, it highlights worrying developments about our public health, however positive the temporary, individual results of self-care may be. Trends and subcultures do not develop by accident or without cause. The emergence of these parallel phenomena reflects the broader trend of rising rates of depression and anxiety, as well as generalized dissatisfaction with life under capitalism and a search for answers to life’s difficulties. And although they both appeal to groups who consider themselves opposed to one another, they are ultimately two sides of the same idealistic, individualist coin. Both subcultures suggest that we can address systemic problems through individual actions—a petty-bourgeois, utopian fantasy. Both subcultures present logically flawed solutions. Common sentiments among the self-improvement camp are the need to “clean your room!” and the idea that before you have any right to criticize society, you must get your own life together. But what if there are societal reasons for the difficulties you face in getting your life together? What do you do if you cannot find work, afford a gym membership, or proper nutrition? What if you do everything “right” and still find yourself defeated by market forces? And what if you cannot afford self-care products and services, or lack the time necessary for treating yourself due to your work schedule? Do we really want to live in a world in which the majority of our free time is spent recovering from and overcompensating for the relentless pressures of capitalism? Clearly, changes in lifestyle are not sufficient on their own, and not possible for all. This does not at all mean that Marxists oppose self-improvement and self-care as such. There is nothing wrong with many of the activities suggested by either subculture, nor would socialism be a world without individual care and development. On the contrary, we oppose capitalism, in part, because it directly disincentivizes self-enrichment, encouraging the accumulation of capital or higher wages above everything else. Under capitalism, an individual who chooses to prioritize their hobbies and social well-being runs the risk of being “outcompeted” by those more willing to subordinate those needs to the logic of profit motive.
On the other hand, we see self-care culture, whose proponents are primarily liberal-leaning and openly embrace the language of mental health. This subculture suggests measures such as splurging, treating yourself, adjusting your diet and exercise habits, drinking water, seeking therapy, meditating, living holistically, and thinking positively as solutions to the rising rates of depression and anxiety The rise of self-care culture is reflected in its cooptation by the self-help industry Of course, it is good that a growing number of people are trying to address their mental health and that they are concerned with destigmatizing it. But more broadly, it highlights worrying developments about our public health, however positive the temporary, individual results of self-care may be. Trends and subcultures do not develop by accident or without cause. The emergence of these parallel phenomena reflects the broader trend of rising rates of depression and anxiety, as well as generalized dissatisfaction with life under capitalism and a search for answers to life’s difficulties. Both subcultures suggest that we can address systemic problems through individual actions—a petty-bourgeois, utopian fantasy. Clearly, changes in lifestyle are not sufficient on their own, and not possible for all. On the contrary, we oppose capitalism, in part, because it directly disincentivizes self-enrichment, encouraging the accumulation of capital or higher wages above everything else. Under capitalism, an individual who chooses to prioritize their hobbies and social well-being runs the risk of being “outcompeted” by those more willing to subordinate those needs to the logic of profit motive.