Guilty Pleasure – Meaning, Origin & Usage
The phrase ‘guilty pleasure’ is one you’re likely to hear again and again. But it raises questions. What exactly is a guilty pleasure? Are guilty pleasures really such a bad thing?
In this article, we will cover what is meant by the term ‘guilty pleasure’ and how the phrase originated. We will discuss common examples of guilty pleasures in life and in pop culture. We will even delve into the psychology behind guilty pleasures, and how guilty pleasures affect our lives. By the end, you’re sure to feel like an expert on the subject.
And without further ado, let’s get straight to it.
What does ‘guilty pleasure’ mean?
A guilty pleasure is simply an activity or form of entertainment that someone enjoys, but feels guilty about enjoying it. This could be because they think it’s not well-regarded, unusual, or might be judged by others. In this way, a guilty pleasure is distinguished from straightforward pleasures such as comfort food and shelter.
Although the term was originally used to refer to pleasures of genuine shame, today, the perceived ‘guilt’ is not the same. It stems from cultural hierarchies, peer pressure, or self-imposed standards, creating a complex relationship between the individual and the cultural artifact.
Origins of the term ‘guilty pleasure’
The phrase ‘guilty pleasure’ is surprisingly old, dating back to the 1700’s when the term had a more shameful connotation and was used to describe something that a person enjoyed but felt bad about. The phrase first appeared in print in the New York Times in 1860 to describe a brothel.
By the mid twentieth century the meaning began to shift to include media consumption but it wasn’t really until the 1980’s that the meaning began to take on its current form, with the shame associated with guilty pleasures becoming more performative. Then in the late 1990’s the term became more common again during the culture wars. The rise of online forums where fans could discuss their guilty pleasures helped spread the saying until it gained the prominence it has today.
Common examples of guilty pleasures
Some common examples of guilty pleasures include:
- Watching old B-movies, such as Sharknado
- Enjoying TV dramas that are aimed at teenagers
- Eating foods with an acquired taste, such as cockles or beer
- Reading trashy romance novels with hunky billionaire protagonists
- Listening to Shania Twain’s or Britney Spears music
- Listening to the likes of ABBA , Spice Girls, or Backstreet Boys
- Having tomato sauce or ketchup with every meal
- Watching trashy reality TV shows, such as
- Taking line dancing classes
- Certain habits such as a glass of wine
- Having dessert before a main course
- High sugar or high caffeine treats (or both)
- Having takeout food on a regular or frequent basis
- Endlessly scrolling through social media apps
- Staying in pyjamas all day long
- Having a lie in on the weekend
- Taking a break at work
- Binge-watching the latest big thing on Netflix
- Watching cheesy musicals or holiday films
- Watching Chick Flicks or Rom Coms
Guilty pleasures in popular culture
Guilty pleasures are indulgences that provide immense personal satisfaction, often despite societal norms or expectations suggesting they are trivial, lowbrow, or unbecoming. Guilty pleasures thrive in popular culture, where diverse tastes and preferences intersect. Here are some examples of guilty pleasures across various forms of entertainment, including music, film, literature, and television.
Music
Music is one of the most common realms where guilty pleasures thrive. Songs and artists deemed overly commercial, formulaic, or dated are often dismissed as guilty pleasures by critics, yet they enjoy widespread popularity.
Pop Anthems
“Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen
“Dancing Queen” by ABBA
Cheesy Ballads
“Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler
“I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston
“Always” by Bon Jovi
“I Would Do Anything for Love” by Meat Loaf
Film
The film industry offers countless guilty pleasures, often in genres that prioritize entertainment over critical acclaim.
Romantic Comedies
Movies like Pretty Woman, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and Mamma Mia! are adored for their heartwarming narratives and escapist qualities, despite being dismissed by some as overly sentimental.
Action and Disaster Films
Franchises like James Bond, Fast & Furious and Transformers deliver larger-than-life spectacles and improbable storylines that delight fans seeking adrenaline-pumping escapism.
Cult Classics
Films such as Kinky Boots and The Rocky Horror Picture Show are celebrated for their campness, blending unintentional humor with genuine enjoyment.
Literature
Guilty pleasures in literature often occupy the realm of genre fiction, romance, or young adult novels.
Romance Novels
Authors like Danielle Steel and Nora Roberts dominate this category, with millions of readers relishing their work while often feeling the need to downplay their love for the genre.
Young Adult Fiction
Series like Twilight by Stephenie Meyer or The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins capture the imaginations of readers across age groups, though some feel hesitant to admit their fandom.
Celebrity Memoirs
Books by figures like Britney Spears, Prince Harry (Spare), or Katie Price often qualify as guilty pleasures for those who devour them despite their tabloid-like appeal.
Television
Guilty pleasures in television often emerge from content considered melodramatic, trashy, or formulaic. Despite their reputation, these shows attract massive audiences.
Reality TV
Series like Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Too Hot to Handle, The Bachelor, or Love Island invite audiences to revel in the drama, glamour, and absurdity of other people’s lives. While dismissed by critics, these shows create cultural moments and fervent fanbases.
Soap Operas
Shows such as General Hospital or Passions deliver over-the-top storylines and intense emotional moments, providing escapism that many quietly adore.
Comfort Binge Shows
Lighthearted sitcoms such as Friends, Super Store, Gilmore Girls, or The Office often serve as guilty pleasures for viewers who re-watch them obsessively, even while acknowledging they might overlook deeper, more novel programs.
The Evolution of Guilty Pleasures
The concept of guilty pleasures has evolved alongside changes in media and cultural attitudes. For example:
Social Media Influence
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have normalized sharing guilty pleasures openly, transforming them into celebrated quirks rather than shameful secrets.
Streaming Services
The accessibility of content through platforms like Netflix and Spotify has made it easier to explore and embrace guilty pleasures without judgment.
Changing Norms
The growing inclusivity in cultural tastes has diminished the stigma surrounding guilty pleasures, encouraging people to take pride in their individual preferences.
The psychology behind guilty pleasures
The term “guilty pleasure” describes an activity, object, or habit that brings an individual joy or satisfaction while simultaneously evoking feelings of embarrassment. This paradox is fascinating from a psychological perspective, as it highlights the complex interplay of societal norms, personal identity, and emotional regulation in shaping human behavior.
The psychology behind guilty pleasures reveals a deep interplay between societal norms, identity, and emotional needs. While the guilt associated with these pleasures stems from cultural expectations, the pleasure itself fulfills essential psychological functions, such as emotional regulation and connection.
Societal and Cultural Hierarchies of Taste
The guilt associated with guilty pleasures is often a product of societal norms and hierarchies of taste. Sociologist Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of “cultural capital” explains how certain activities or tastes are deemed “highbrow” or “lowbrow” based on their perceived sophistication.
Highbrow: Classical music, fine art, literary fiction.
Lowbrow: Pop music, reality TV, genre fiction.
Indulging in “lowbrow” culture can create feelings of guilt for individuals who want to align with higher cultural capital.
Cognitive Dissonance and Guilty Pleasures
The experience of a guilty pleasure often involves cognitive dissonance, a psychological phenomenon in which an individual holds two conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or values simultaneously.
For example, a person might think, “I value intellectual pursuits” while also enjoying a reality TV show often criticized as mindless or sensationalist. To resolve this dissonance, individuals may:
- Justify their actions: “It’s just a way to relax after a stressful day.”
- Downplay their enjoyment: “I only watch it ironically.”
- Keep their guilty pleasure secret: “I don’t want others to know I love this.”
This tension between enjoyment and self-image is central to the psychological experience of a guilty pleasure.
The Role of Identity and Self-Perception
Conflict Between Ideal and Actual Self
Guilty pleasures often highlight the gap between the ideal self (how a person wants to be perceived) and the actual self (how they perceive themselves).
Ideal Self: “I am cultured and intellectual.”
Actual Self: “I love catchy pop songs and fast food.”
This incongruence can lead to guilt, as indulging in guilty pleasures might feel like a betrayal of the ideal self.
Self-Awareness and Authenticity
Paradoxically, guilty pleasures also reveal a more authentic aspect of the self. By acknowledging these enjoyments, individuals embrace their unique preferences and reject societal pressures to conform. However, openly admitting to guilty pleasures often requires overcoming the fear of judgment.
Emotional Regulation and Comfort
Guilty pleasures serve as tools for emotional regulation, helping people cope with stress, boredom, or negative emotions.
Escapism
Engaging in a guilty pleasure allows individuals to temporarily escape their responsibilities, anxieties, or self-imposed standards. For instance, watching a light-hearted sitcom after a long day provides relief from stress.
Reward Systems
Guilty pleasures activate the brain’s reward centers, releasing dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and motivation. This physiological response reinforces the behavior, even if guilt follows.
The contradiction between guilt and pleasure may stem from the brain’s ability to separate the short-term enjoyment of the activity from the long-term consequences of societal judgment.
Social Bonds and Shared Guilty Pleasures
Guilty pleasures can also foster connection and camaraderie. Sharing a guilty pleasure with others reduces the associated shame and enhances feelings of belonging.
Shared Experiences
Watching a popular reality show or singing along to a cheesy song at a party creates a sense of unity and joy.
Cultural Phenomena
Guilty pleasures often become mainstream cultural moments, such as the popularity of the Twilight saga or the widespread love for viral TikTok trends.
When others validate an activity as enjoyable, the guilt diminishes, and the focus shifts to shared pleasure.
How guilty pleasures affect our lives
Guilty pleasures aren’t always such a bad thing. Here’s a round up of how guilty pleasures can positively affect our lives.
Escapism and Joy
Guilty pleasures provide a means to temporarily escape daily pressures and immerse oneself in unpretentious enjoyment. They cater to universal human desires for laughter, excitement, romance, and resolution.
Shared Connections
Guilty pleasures often serve as communal experiences. They spark conversations, memes, and fan communities, creating bonds between people who enjoy the same “guilty” indulgences.
Cultural Reflections
The popularity of guilty pleasures challenges the cultural gatekeeping of “highbrow” versus “lowbrow” art and entertainment, suggesting that enjoyment transcends traditional aesthetic hierarchies.
Rejection of Shame
Embracing guilty pleasures can be empowering, as it signifies a rejection of societal pressures to conform to rigid standards of taste or sophistication.
How to embrace your guilty pleasures
In recent years, the stigma around guilty pleasures has lessened, thanks to changing cultural attitudes and a growing emphasis on authenticity.
Reframing Pleasure
Many people now reject the idea that enjoyment should be accompanied by guilt, embracing their preferences unapologetically.
Celebrating Individuality
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram encourage users to celebrate their quirks, including guilty pleasures, normalizing diverse tastes.
Cultural Shifts
The blurring of highbrow and lowbrow distinctions has also helped reduce the shame surrounding guilty pleasures, as people increasingly value personal enjoyment over societal approval.
By understanding the roots of guilty pleasures and reframing them as authentic expressions of individuality, people can embrace their tastes without shame, enriching their lives with unapologetic joy.
Final word
So to summarise, a guilty pleasure is an activity or form of entertainment that someone enjoys, but at the same time feels they may be judged for. Guilty pleasures are indulgences that provide immense personal satisfaction, often despite societal norms or expectations suggesting they are trivial, lowbrow, or unbecoming. Guilty pleasures can be found in music, film, literature, television, social media, and eating habits.
In an era that increasingly values authenticity, perhaps the greatest cultural shift lies in removing the ‘guilt’ from guilty pleasures altogether.
Which guilty pleasures are you “guilty” of?
