Paris Syndrome is like Imposter Syndrome - it’s a very specific and rare psychological phenomenon that is now being pushed as commonplace in order to obscure an unpleasant reality.

In the case of imposter syndrome, we have loads and loads of diversity hires who absolutely do not belong in their unearned positions. These people will sometimes come to the realization that they don’t belong, which can be upsetting. Enter “imposter syndrome”, which reassures you that your feelings of inferiority are just a trick of the mind! You aren’t an unqualified diversity hire elevated above your station in order to satisfy a quota. No, you’re a perfect employee, every bit as skilled and talented as the non-diverse people around you, and any indicators to the contrary are just specters created by the oppressive systems that were designed to keep you down (where you belonged).

With Paris Syndrome, the Asians were said to have had mistaken expectations of certain cultural experiences when visiting famous foreign cities. But what if those cities actually have turned to shit over time? What if Paris and London are now majority non-white, filthy and violent, and no longer culturally French or British? What if San Francisco is now littered with homeless drug addicts, human feces, and used needless? When does Paris Syndrome become “the Asian tourists were right”?

Apologies for the tangent. I was struck with a parallel and had to get it down lol