59 Unhinged But True Takes On Life From The “Delusions Of Adequacy” Group Online (New Pics)

Then there’s the internet’s favorite: delulu. Short for “delusional,” the slang term has even made its way into Merriam-Webster, which defines it as “delusional; audaciously self-confident.” It first gained traction in K-pop fandoms in the early 2010s, where it was used as a “mild rebuke,” usually aimed at fans whose obsessions with their idols, or hopes of one day dating them, seemed a little “irrational, obsessive, or otherwise ridiculous.”

From there, it spread across social media, eventually getting a glow-up. As Merriam-Webster explains, “Especially among young women on TikTok starting in 2023, delulu shifted to characterize confidence in achieving one’s aspirations in life—no matter how delusional it may be to think so.” Hence the catchphrases “delulu is the solulu” and “may all your delulu come trululu.”

But delulu isn’t just a question of self-belief. As the Guardian put it, self-belief means trusting your abilities, whereas being delulu means having “confidence beyond all ability.” That might sound a lot like delusions of adequacy, but here’s where the two part ways. Sure, both involve confidence that outstrips reality, but being delulu is often framed as a choice. It’s like a knowing wink at your own wishful thinking. Delusions of adequacy, however, come with no such self-awareness.

And that brings us back to this list. Because sometimes it isn’t just individuals who are a little delusional; it’s society as a whole. Many of these posts point out the gap between how well the world thinks it’s doing and how well it’s actually doing. And really, pointing out the absurdity is often the most adequate response there is.