On Wellness and What Capitalism Wants Us to Believe It Is
There’s something comforting about the idea of a coffee date after a long week, a nice dinner out as a reward, a new skincare product that promises glowing results, or a Sunday reset filled with lemon water and a to-do list. We’ve been taught to see these things as self-care, as wellness. Work hard, play hard. Eat clean, move your body, treat yourself.
But what if that’s not really wellness? What if it's just what capitalism wants us to believe wellness is?
The system we live in – the one that exhausts us, isolates us, and stretches us too thin – is the same one that sells us retail therapy as a solution. It creates the conditions that make us unwell and then profits off our pursuit of healing. As a young woman on TikTok asked in a video that reached over 3 million people, “What if wellness isn't just a personal checklist, but a collective revolution? What if real well-being is found in the messy, beautiful work of building community, embracing diverse stories, and standing up for social justice?” The creator behind this post, Karli (@thewellbeingscientist), posed a simple yet powerful question: “What does wellness mean to YOU?” And it made me pause. Because even in trying to answer that question, I found myself slipping into the same old patterns – thinking of routines, habits, aesthetics. The individual. But maybe that’s the trick. What if wellness isn’t something we can buy or curate or hustle for? What if it’s not something we can check off a list? What if wellness is deeper – about community, collective care, access, and dignity? What if it’s found in how we treat each other, how we show up for our neighbors, how we listen, how we build safety and softness into our society?
Real wellness doesn’t come in a bottle or a perfectly curated morning routine. It actually is affordable housing that gives people stability and dignity. It is healthcare that’s accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford it. It means having clean air to breathe and green spaces to gather, and simply exist. It’s the ability to rest without guilt – to take a break without feeling like you're falling behind. It’s about having the freedom to make choices that aren’t driven by survival or scarcity. And maybe most importantly, it’s about feeling connected, seen, and supported – knowing you’re not alone, that you matter, and that your well-being is held by the community around you. It’s not about whether you made it to the gym this week or remembered to journal. It’s about whether your society gives you the space, support, and safety to simply be. This isn’t to shame anyone. I love a good oat milk latte as much as the next person. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with enjoying the small rituals that bring us comfort. This isn’t a moral judgment – it’s an invitation to reflect. Because wellness isn’t just a personal pursuit. It’s a collective reality. And when we only focus on the individual – when we make wellness a competition or a brand – we lose sight of what truly makes us well: each other.
Of course, this is also a demand directed at higher powers – political systems, decision-makers, institutions. But at the same time, we can also contribute on our own level. I don’t exclude myself from this either. But it helps to reflect. Not to put more pressure on ourselves to feel “well,” but maybe to release that pressure – and just allow ourselves to be. This isn’t a call-out. It’s not even really a call to action. It’s a gentle reminder – a thought-provoking impulse – to shift how we think about wellness. I can’t take credit for this idea. I didn’t come up with it, and that’s kind of the point. Of course I’m not the only one feeling this way. That’s why that TikTok video resonated with so many people – because it gave words to something so many of us have been carrying.
So let me leave you with the same question Karli asked:
What does wellness mean to you?
And what if it meant something more than what we’ve been sold?
by Luisa Gabriel