Is 'Main Character Energy' empowering or narcissistic? [Reality checks ft. Mary Redondo]

The latest episode of Reality checks with Brian Reitz features Mary Redondo, Creative Lead and Partner at UTAG. A former Managing Director at Havas, Redondo's work spans LATAM and U.S. markets, blending creativity, technology, and cultural insight to shape brands that influence perception, behavior, and culture.

Her episode of Reality checks explores a topic that has emerged on social media over the past few years: Main character energy.

“It's about really getting to understand social media trends and what they mean for different consumers. If you are able to work on main character energy from positive angles, a lot of brands can leverage it,” Redondo said.

The survey

To uncover the reality, Mary Redondo from UTAG and the YouGov team collaborated on a five-question survey exploring how many Americans view themselves as “the main character,” how people view the “main character energy” phrase, which settings bring the most “main character energy” out of people, and more.

1. How likely are you to think you are the main character in a setting with other people?
2. In which settings do you feel more like the “main character” than you usually do? Please mark all that apply.
3. Do you think “main character energy” is mostly…? (e.g. Narcissistic, empowering, etc.)
4. Which of the following most influences your idea of “main character energy”? Please mark all that apply.
5. Which of the below more accurately describes how you think others view you? (e.g. Main character, secondary character, NPC, etc)
   

Do Americans think they’re the main character?

Most US adults do not see themselves as main characters when around other people, with 38% saying they don't very often feel like the main character in a social setting, and 23% never experiencing this sentiment.

Only 5% of Americans admit to always considering themselves the "main character" in social settings, while just over a third (34%) sometimes do.

Men are more likely than women to think they’re the main character

Men are nearly twice as likely as women to always consider themselves the "main character" in social situations, with 6% of men reporting this sentiment, compared to 3.5% of women.

Conversely, women are significantly more likely to report never feeling like the main character, with 28% of women expressing this view versus 18% of men.

These confidence levels echo a YouGov survey conducted in January 2023, which revealed that 46% of U.S. men felt confident landing an airplane, compared to 20% of women.

Women are more likely to think they’re viewed as the main character

While women are less likely than men to see themselves as the main character, they are slightly more inclined than men to think other people view them as the main character (18% of women vs. 16% of men)

Meanwhile, men are significantly more likely to believe they are viewed as "secondary characters" (33% compared to 25% of women).

These seemingly contradicting findings highlight a disconnect between self-judgment and assumed external perceptions.

Which settings make people feel more like the main character?

Americans are more likely to feel like the 'main character' in the confines of their home, with 45% saying the setting increases this type of energy.

Gen Z stands out for their increased feeling of main character energy across digital experiences, with 27% saying they are more of the main character than usual when they play video games, significantly higher than the overall population at 15%. This trend extends to social media platforms, where 18% of Gen Z Americans report increases in main character energy, versus 10% of the general population.

Notably, group chats provide a unique stage for Gen Z, with 12% feeling like the main character in this digital social space – doubling the overall U.S. average of 6%.

Gen Z's propensity for feeling center stage extends across other escapist offline settings, from vacations (22% vs 15%) to bars and restaurants (13% vs 8%).

There are just two places where Gen Z feels less like the main character than other generations: home (43% Gen Z vs 45% gen pop) and the workplace, where Gen X is most likely to feel like the main character (22% Gen X vs 18% gen pop).

How do different generations view main character energy?

Millennials stand out as the most likely to view main character energy as narcissistic, with 33% holding this opinion compared to 25% of the general population. Gen Z, while also more likely than average to see it as narcissistic (28%), appears to view the phenomenon through a slightly different lens.

For Gen Z, "main character energy" seems to be perceived as a more fleeting, ephemeral concept. They are significantly more likely than Millennials to describe it as "trendy but superficial" (22% vs 10%) or "just a fun phrase" (28% vs 20%).

This suggests that while Gen Z acknowledges potential narcissistic pitfalls, they may see it as a less serious, more transient trend.

Interestingly, Baby Boomers are the most likely to view "main character energy" simply as "just a fun phrase" (31%), indicating a more lighthearted interpretation of the phenomenon among older generations. Okay, Boomers!

Millennials most likely to think they are viewed as Non-Player Characters (NPCs)

Gen X shows the most balanced distribution across categories, with the highest percentage thinking others see them as "the main character" (18%).

Gen Z, meanwhile, is the least likely to think they're seen as "the main character" (13%) and significantly more inclined to have selected "secondary characters" (36%) compared to other generations, suggesting a possible perspective that other people view themselves as the main characters.

Millennials stand out with the highest proportion (16%) believing others perceive them as "non-player characters" (NPCs).

Where do NPCs live?

While millennials are more likely to believe others view them as "NPCs" (non-player characters) compared to other generations, there are also interesting regional differences that arise.

Overall, the South has more people who think they are viewed as NPCs, but they are actually less likely than the average American (36% of NPCs are in the South vs. 38% of US gen pop).

Meanwhile, the Midwest shows significantly higher rates of residents who think others see them as NPCs (31% vs 21% gen pop). Whether or not this perception is accurate may require another survey.

Have anything else you want to know about Main Character Energy? YouGov’s connected data let us anonymously cross-reference the results with respondents’ past answers.