You can’t stop thinking about it. Your mind drifts off to it while you’re working, eating, sleeping. You’re one trigger word away from launching into a 10-minute rant, accompanied by a very necessary 20-slide presentation. People know you by it. You might even say you’re obsessed.
Maybe it’s that one TV show that you can’t stop quoting. The movie you saw five years ago that changed your life. A song that plays at the perfect moment, or even that cute guy who sits two rows in front of you during lecture. Regardless of the source, obsessions drive who we are. They become core parts of our personality, imbuing us with distinct sources of pleasure (or pain). Sometimes, they’re healthy, giving us a break from the monotonous cycle of actions we call life. Other times, they’re toxic, forcing us to linger on things we’d be better forgetting. Most of the time, they’re pretty neutral, a source of seemingly endless conversation fodder. Whatever the case may be, one thing is consistent: You can’t stop thinking about them.
Take a moment to join us in our obsessions. Delve into the intricacies of young adult dystopias, the songs from childhood we can’t forget and the characters who can’t get over crushes.
If you can’t get us out of your head, don’t worry. Just embrace the obsession.
Daily Arts Writer Ian Gallmore can be reached at gallmore@umich.edu.
