The promise of America lies in the idea that if you work hard enough, you can achieve anything. In the 1930s, our grandparents had the American Dream; our parents had the allure of upward mobility. Now, one major economic recession, one pandemic, and one attempted far-right coup later, all we really want is a damn break. I’m not talking about squeezing in a 10-minute walk during lunch or popping on a face mask while watching TV after work. Given what we’re dealing with, mini acts of “self-care” simply won’t cut it. Today, rest is political, radical even — and it’s catching on in a big way.
On TikTok alone, the hashtags #DeepRest, #RadicalRest, and #RestIsRadical have more than 22 million views collectively — a testament to our shared desire to tune out before we burn out. Admittedly, it can be difficult to pin down a singular definition of “radical rest,” as it’s been dubbed. But at its core, most people touting radical rest agree it’s a response to the ongoing demands of capitalism in a world that’s falling apart, and to a system that repeatedly fails us. It’s an umbrella term that encapsulates our growing refusal to sell our souls in exchange for economic promises that aren’t actually promised. These conversations are constantly taking on new forms — most recently with the phrase “quiet quitting,” which seemingly originated with TikToker @zkchillin, and has been defined as the act of doing the bare minimum at work — but the goal is largely the same.
