In her thought-provoking TED Talk, Dani Reyes, a licensed psychometrician and researcher based in Manila, delves into the phenomenon of "delulu culture" and its impact on Generation Z's reality. Dani, who has dedicated her career to mental health awareness and education, explores how the term "delusional" has been adopted by Gen Z as a mantra to defy limits and dream big, despite practical challenges. Drawing from her experience as a mental health professional and educator, she highlights the cognitive dissonance this creates, as delusions are traditionally seen as pathological in the field of psychology.
Dani argues that the rise of this culture reflects Gen Z's response to societal dysfunctions like climate change and economic insecurity, which make traditional aspirations seem unattainable. By embracing delusions, Gen Z resists accepting a bleak reality and instead holds onto hope for a better future. She calls for a deeper understanding of this cultural shift and urges societal changes to support young people's aspirations. Dani concludes by emphasizing that what her generation truly seeks is hope—a belief in the possibility of positive change and a brighter future. Justine Danielle Reyes is a licensed psychometrician and researcher based in Manila who works in education. As a psychology undergrad, Dani began to raise awareness on mental health through social media, which eventually led to speaking engagements in different institutions. She worked as a high school teacher for three years, teaching mental health and character education, before she ventured into the world of testing and research in higher education. In 2023, she presented her first research paper about the lived experiences of college students during the pandemic at the 10th National Social Science Congress held in Silliman University, and she was one of the eight emerging film critics who joined the inaugural QCinema Critics Lab. On social media, Dani posts educational content about psychology and mental health on TikTok, runs a blog on Substack and hosts a podcast, both called Therapy for Takeout, where she shares lessons learned in therapy as well as her love for psychology. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at [ Ссылка ]
