The Romanticization of Mental Illness and Adolescent Identity Formation: Marina and the Diamond's Electra Heart

Marina and the Diamonds' album, Electra Heart (2012), by glamorizing suffering, provides adolescents an avenue to find solidarity with others who are self-critical and depressed. Adolescents of the 2010s have formed their identities by crowdsourcing on the internet in response to this album. The character of Electra Heart represents a modern-day negative ego ideal for adolescents. Idealization of her character fans the flames of narcissistic destructive behavior in adolescents, but also provides a way for adolescent girls to symbolize and express negative feelings without acting on them.

Automated summary

Marina and the Diamonds' album, Electra Heart (2012), glamorizes suffering to provide adolescents with a means to find solidarity with self-critical and depressed peers. The album has influenced the formation of identities among adolescents by allowing them to crowdsource their experiences online. The character of Electra Heart represents a modern-day negative ego ideal for adolescents, fueling narcissistic behavior while also offering a harmless outlet for expression.