Google “unicorn” and hundreds of thousands of things will pop up. Everything from the trendy Starbucks frappucchino to brightly coloured hairstyles. It’s verging on the ridiculous and I, for one, don’t really understand the appeal.
What’s with this obsession with unicorns? First of all, in most lore, unicorns are majestic and rare creatures. They have a pearly white skin tone and a long, luscious mane. Most mythology attributes the unicorn as a symbol of purity. In these stories (and throughout modern film), the unicorn becomes a metaphor for magic and uniqueness. A person is described as a unicorn if their personality is quirky and different from those of their peers — a rarity among a society of conforming sheep.
Unicorn: unique, rare, mysterious, and impossible to find.
And yet, here we are in 2017, quite literally mass producing this idea. If there was a need to re-define irony, it would be called “the unicorn.” We have icy cold drinks, hairstyles, makeup lines, clothing, movies, and television shows. There are books, comics, phone cases, water bottles, and even nail art!
Now, I’m not saying we should ban the unicorn. Quite the opposite! As children, fantasizing about mythical and magical creatures is a big part of growing up. I think young adults should constantly be questioning reality and searching for the impossible. I also like the idea of using a unicorn to represent individuality. Young people are constantly searching for something to relate to, something to symbolize them! Using a unicorn as a blanket representation for individual thought and uniqueness is fine, but, the unicorn of 2017 is doesn’t quite measure up.
This unicorn, the one that is trending all over the Internet, is a mad concoction of cartoonish pink and blue. It’s not majestic or pure or rare — it’s just everywhere! The unicorn has become a fad, consumed for high-prices and Instagram likes. It’s become the theme of athletic races and a weird trend during concerts. It’s no longer about originality. It’s no longer about fantastical creatures and adventures. It’s no longer about standing out in a crowd.
It’s about money and social media fame.
The Starbucks unicorn frappucchino was the latest insane venture from the unicorn fan club. Admittedly, I did not purchase one, but was curious enough to ask a few friends what it tastes like. The verdict? It was supposed to taste like mango and blue raspberry, but instead tasted a bit like expired birthday cake. Not terrible, but not delicious either. I don’t regret not purchasing one, even if my description for this article is a bit lax. Most people didn’t enjoy it a whole lot, but they took lots of selfies with it. It looked cool! And it was “unicorn-themed” — so they bought it. Now that the limited-time drink is gone (all the baristas are saying ‘thank god’), I think it’s time to remind the public about the original unicorn. The one that didn’t look like a clown threw up.
Can we all just admit that it’s okay to be different. It’s okay to be a unicorn among a crowd. And we don’t need a specialized drink, hairstyle, or nail polish to believe it?
What do you think of the unicorn fad? Have you tried the frozen treat? Let us know in the comments below!
