I’ve been thinking a lot about the word underrated lately. It’s one of those terms people love to throw around when they’re talking about their favorite obscure band or that indie movie nobody knows about. It’s what hipsters say to basically mean, “I’m special because I like things no one else appreciates.” But what does it really mean to be underrated? The all-knowing Urban Dictionary, our modern philosopher-in-chief, defines it as: “Something or someone that deserves much more respect than people will allow.”
So apparently, for something to be underrated, people must actively withhold respect from it. They look at it, shrug, and move on to the next shiny object. If that’s the case, then I’d say being a decent, kind, generous person is the most underrated thing in the world right now. By the way, seriously, try it sometime. It’s like you’re performing an avant-garde act in a play no one bought tickets to at all. People seem confused, maybe a little impressed, but mostly they just keep scrolling.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Most of the time, we’re not talking about human decency when we argue about underrated things. We’re talking about movies, songs, books—cultural ephemera that spark those long, pointless debates at family gatherings where nobody wins, and everyone loses a little piece of their sanity. However, I can’t help but think the concept of being underrated could stretch beyond just whether your BFF’s favorite band is actually good. So, the real question for us to ask is why people withhold respect in the first place. Is it because something is disliked? Or worse, are these underrated things simply ignored?
Something underrated isn’t necessarily bad. It might even be brilliant. Many times, it just didn’t get noticed. Maybe it came out at the wrong time, like wearing a winter coat to a summer barbecue. Or, it was too ahead of its time, and people just weren’t ready to bask in its glory. More likely, it was buried under the avalanche of mediocrity we all consume daily. Respect doesn’t come from ignorance. It comes from awareness. Well, these days, it seems like we’re aware of all the wrong things.
Discussing this brings me to a minor epiphany: With all the overrated garbage clogging up our screens and timelines, what other treasures have we been missing? What have we collectively ignored while we binge-watch the next over-hyped streaming series or blockbuster film that’s somehow both bland and exhausting?
While we’re at it, allow me to share a few of my favorite underrated gems, three things that don’t get nearly enough credit in the chaos of modern existence:
- Good, positive news. Seriously, when was the last time you saw a headline that didn’t make you want to hurl your phone into the nearest body of water? The fact that some people are actually doing good things in the world is wildly underrated. We should talk about them more. But no, let’s fixate on the latest dumpster fire instead.
- Having good food and fresh water. I know, I sound like a grandma reminding you to be grateful for the bare necessities of life but come on. Not everyone has it, and we barely appreciate it. How did something so basic become underrated? Oh, right—because it’s not shiny, dramatic, or trending on Twitter.
- People who talk about what they like, not what they hate. This one is pure gold. Finding someone who likes things is like stumbling across a rare bird species that hasn’t been seen in decades. People are so obsessed with trashing everything these days. God forbid you admit to enjoying something, because then you’re either “cringe” or “basic” or one of those other words people use to mask their incompetence at being even modestly cultured.
That last one hits the hardest. We’ve all been sucked into conversations where people can’t shut up about what they hate. But have you ever noticed how it’s almost taboo to like something without qualifying it with some criticism? “Yeah, it’s a good show, but the character development is weak, and the writing’s uneven.” We can’t all be Roger Ebert. Maybe we should just sit back and try to enjoy something for just five minutes?
Here’s the weird thing: Since 2020, it seems that negativity has become the ultimate currency. There’s a perverse comfort in it. Complaining is easy, effortless even. Liking something, these days, takes courage. Positivity, I dare say, has become the most underrated thing of all. Who would’ve thought that’s where we’d end up in the aftermath of a global health crisis?
So, what’s something you think is underrated? No, I don’t mean the local band your coworker keeps insisting is “life-changing.” I’m talking about the quiet, everyday stuff. I think making it through another day without becoming a trending topic for all the wrong reasons is pretty underrated. Or what about the simple joy of drinking your iced tea without the nagging guilt that you should be doing something “productive?”
Let’s all raise a glass (or tumbler) to the underrated—those little pockets of joy we didn’t know we needed. And for those of us out here, just trying to find something to like, maybe we’re the most underrated folks of all.
~ Amelia Desertsong
