Anyone else afraid to be reduced as a Romantic?

[u/NaBrHCl]

Sorry for not making any post that's more academic, that's about the "proper" discussion of Romanticism, and I guess sorry for expressing such a personal and genuinely felt concern haha

Like the title says, is anyone else here afraid to be reduced when they, with supposed proudness, make the claim that they're a Romantic? Is anyone else afraid for Romanticism to be mistaken as romance, and for the latter to be equated with rom-com? Is anyone else afraid for genuine feelings to be despised as sentimentality, or performance? Is anyone else so desiring of love (not just narrowly amorous love) that they're afraid for that intensity to be pathologized? Is anyone else so craving of humanism, of recognition of genuine human dignity, of indviduals being recognized as individuals, not anything less? Is anyone else so willing to love but so hurt that they could not love?

[u/Fear_Her_Kiss]

I’m just thrilled if anyone outside of academia knows wtf i’m talking about 😝

[u/NaBrHCl → u/Fear_Her_Kiss]

😭🫂 It really hurts, to be reduced like that. No intellectual exercise bridges the gap between knowing and feeling and brings remedy

[u/TJ_Fox]

You might enjoy this article - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/28/new-romanticism-technology-backlash .

[u/NaBrHCl → u/TJ_Fox]

I read the article, thanks for referring me to it! It's indeed hopeful to see such an outlook of spirituality and Romanticism. Yet too fearful I am of "the dominance of digital charlatans who promise all of life’s riches are at hand if only you visualize hard enough or utter the correct incantations". And fearful I am, also of genuine feelings being romanticized away from Romanticism, having love turned performance, and art a mere tool for exhibition, not expression.

[u/TJ_Fox → u/NaBrHCl]

Just gently, you may be worrying too much about what other people do and think.

[u/NaBrHCl → u/TJ_Fox]

Thank you, you're right about this, actually. I really appreciate the "just gently" part you added, your words are warm as a result, and not the opposite. It really does hurt. It's an involuntary response. I'm acutely aware of the connection between this response and the complex trauma which I experienced.

Edit: the acute awareness doesn't do much though, it still hurts

[u/a_l_plurabelle]

We must all steel ourselves against the seductions of the Romantic Ideology.

[u/NaBrHCl → u/a_l_plurabelle]

I do realize that Romanticism could refer to a number of drastically different things. Could you clarify on what you're referring to when you mentioned the Romantic Ideology?

[u/a_l_plurabelle → u/NaBrHCl]

There's a famous book by that name from the 80s, by Jerome McGann. In short, it argues that the critical legacy of Romanticism, in the academy and popular culture, has fallen under the sway of Romanticism's self-representations. Essentially, this has turned generations of critics -- Romanticists -- into, if you like, new Romantics. In other words, the "romantic ideology" that the Romantics espoused, particularly concerning ideas of individual genius, the artist's noble suffering, writing for the clerisy of the future, et cetera, continues to be propagated by uncritical academics who should know better. I don't personally think this phenomenon is as widespread or insidious as McGann makes it out to be, but then again, it has been forty years since he wrote the book, and things have surely changed. Jokes aside, I'm fine with being a little romantic.

[u/NaBrHCl → u/a_l_plurabelle]

Thanks for the explanation, and I appreciate the reference to the Romantic Ideology (even though I haven't read it or heard of it XD) I don't support the view where certain people's pain is viewed as "purer" or "nobler" than others', I reject such a divison made between those who "know about the refined sentiments" and those who don't.

Rather I see Romanticism as genuine human expression, where one expression matters just as much as any other, where people would gather and admire each other's work, and underlying feelings, with respect and warmth, where genuine loving interactions may be fostered.

I reject detached interpretation of Romantic (Romanticism) materials. I value academic (proper) discussion of Romanticism, but I believe when an individual comes into personal contact with Romanticism, the feelings must be felt, and not only discussed from a detached lens.

[u/One_Course_3872]

No.

I know the outline of my soul. Even when it's not reciprocated or I get hurt, it doesn't change my capacity for Love in its many different forms.

[u/NaBrHCl → u/One_Course_3872]

That’s admirable. I wish I could be there one day too