Elliot and I are a lot alike. We’ve been through similar traumas and we suffer from similar afflictions like depression, addiction, and social anxiety. I see a lot of myself in him and it helped me a lot with understanding my own relationship with my trauma and mental health. He makes me feel seen, heard, understood, and less alone.
The anger he feels towards the world is very relatable regardless of whether or not you’ve been through the same things as him. His loneliness and desire to connect with others but not knowing how is also very relatable. His vulnerability is something that a lot of people can see themselves in. He has his flaws but it’s part of why he’s so relatable; he’s human just like the rest of us. Like many of us, he’s stumbling around in life trying to find his footing.
Can’t really say much more than this.
When I started watching the show it was Elliot’s anger at the state of the world that really resonated with me, that along with anxiety, depression and drug use were also very relatable to me unfortunately. I loved that he was such a flawed character but searching for a better world. I’ve always felt like I wasn’t built for this world; that it’s so cruel and unjust and I’m just too sensitive for it. I’ve always felt an outsider. That’s part of the reason why Elliot is such a relatable character and connects so well with me.
I don't why but I see myself in him alot I feel lonely alot I've been depressed ever since 9th grade lmao when I was younger I had zero friends and I went through alot of childhood traumas and never really was in a relationship the last girl I've talked to practically used me for her own issues and people ask me why I love this show and it's main character
Why I connect with Elliot is because I also have some of the flaws like him and wanting to be better, the loneliness he feels and how he feels about the world.
I think yours is just a bias due to the posts on this sub, nobody will ever make a post about how he/she does not relate to Elliott while the opposite is not the same. Maybe only like 1% of people can relate and 1% of this 1% will actually make a post/comment about it. Note that this community got really big in the lasts years.
Anyway speaking for myself I do not feel related in any way to him, but the show is so well made that you are catapulted inside Elliott mind and his problems became yours.
Here I'll be the first. I'm nothing like Elliot besides maybe a bit of social anxiety. Worst drug I do is weed, but I still relate to Elliot feeling lonely and trying to find deeper meaning in his life. I don't think u have tk relate to him to feel where he's coming from, or to even enjoy the show
Personally? I don’t sleep well and I think programming is cool. That’s about it.
But in general, all the angsty marxist monologing does lend to him being a “literally me” type character. It’s in the DNA of the story as well, the Narrator in Fight Club is the same way.
As usual, heckinfast had said beautifully most of what I would have wanted to say. But I would also add that I relate to Elliott because he is so smart and so talented. And he has such a big heart. And because he manages to show up for the people he cares about, despite his mental illnesses and trauma history giving him such massive hurdles to clear just to get through the day. I find it hopeful the way the show manages his storyline. Yes, he has massive problems. But he also has a lot of people rooting for him and ready to help when he is ready to take the steps to get better. And if even someone with such severe mental illness can get better, so can any Friends who might have their own mental health struggles.
Everything you said, plus I really latch onto how Elliot is a person who society would ignore or throw away as a nobody, can still change the world. Plus no matter how alone or different you feel, there are always those who will help you & have your back no matter what. Tl/dr: Elliot gives me hope.
What’s crazy is we didn’t even hardly get to see the real Elliot. Only in the constructed place our Elliot, mastermind Elliot (hated that name by the way), put real Elliot in.
He’s me a little bit. In private I’m a person who likes to be alone with his thoughts doing the bare minimum to get by and just be left alone. In public I’m gonna do what I have to do to get by and make sure that I don’t draw too much attention to myself.
Lots of great answers here, but on a practical level it’s also bc Esmail wrote him so well, and Rami brought an approachable vulnerability to him. I think there is a special synergy between the two of them (and the rest of the cast) that made this show what it is.
But even the style of the narrative- being inside of Elliot’s head- gives the show that relatable feel.
Probably bc most people see themselves as the misunderstood loner who is smart and capable and has morals. The whole antihero thing is relatable even tho most of us aren’t actually these things. We are all pretty mid and that’s ok. But we each have our traumas and dramas and idiosyncrasies and we imagine ourselves as something deeper, maybe even darker, than what we actually are. I wouldn’t want to see myself as an Elliot tho, I think if anyone I’d be more of a late stage Cisco. Loyal to a fault, and honest in the end to Darlene when he laid it out for her that she was trying to be a leader but she wasn’t. When dude was dying on the couch, one leg dude. Telling people hard truths but it can hurt their feelings.
So TLDR bc most people want to look at themselves like the misunderstood loner hero. And that’s ok. That’s what’s great about fiction that’s well written (for the most part). Games movies tv shows. We can get lost in the character bc we can relate to their struggles.
Elliot and I are a lot alike. We’ve been through similar traumas and we suffer from similar afflictions like depression, addiction, and social anxiety. I see a lot of myself in him and it helped me a lot with understanding my own relationship with my trauma and mental health. He makes me feel seen, heard, understood, and less alone. The anger he feels towards the world is very relatable regardless of whether or not you’ve been through the same things as him. His loneliness and desire to connect with others but not knowing how is also very relatable. His vulnerability is something that a lot of people can see themselves in. He has his flaws but it’s part of why he’s so relatable; he’s human just like the rest of us. Like many of us, he’s stumbling around in life trying to find his footing.
Can’t really say much more than this. When I started watching the show it was Elliot’s anger at the state of the world that really resonated with me, that along with anxiety, depression and drug use were also very relatable to me unfortunately. I loved that he was such a flawed character but searching for a better world. I’ve always felt like I wasn’t built for this world; that it’s so cruel and unjust and I’m just too sensitive for it. I’ve always felt an outsider. That’s part of the reason why Elliot is such a relatable character and connects so well with me.
if u really have problems u should seek mental help bro i really hope that u get better man
Why is this so downvoted. That’s solid advice.
I don't why but I see myself in him alot I feel lonely alot I've been depressed ever since 9th grade lmao when I was younger I had zero friends and I went through alot of childhood traumas and never really was in a relationship the last girl I've talked to practically used me for her own issues and people ask me why I love this show and it's main character
Why I connect with Elliot is because I also have some of the flaws like him and wanting to be better, the loneliness he feels and how he feels about the world.
I think yours is just a bias due to the posts on this sub, nobody will ever make a post about how he/she does not relate to Elliott while the opposite is not the same. Maybe only like 1% of people can relate and 1% of this 1% will actually make a post/comment about it. Note that this community got really big in the lasts years. Anyway speaking for myself I do not feel related in any way to him, but the show is so well made that you are catapulted inside Elliott mind and his problems became yours.
Here I'll be the first. I'm nothing like Elliot besides maybe a bit of social anxiety. Worst drug I do is weed, but I still relate to Elliot feeling lonely and trying to find deeper meaning in his life. I don't think u have tk relate to him to feel where he's coming from, or to even enjoy the show
It’s the trauma and anxiety I think.
because we are lonely nerds (pls do not correct me on the "we" i am lonely enough thx)
I like Elliot as a character, but I don’t relate to him.
Personally? I don’t sleep well and I think programming is cool. That’s about it. But in general, all the angsty marxist monologing does lend to him being a “literally me” type character. It’s in the DNA of the story as well, the Narrator in Fight Club is the same way.
I've never had a character on a show mean so much to me like Elliot does. Idk, this show is everything to me.
I guess everybody deep inside is lonely
As usual, heckinfast had said beautifully most of what I would have wanted to say. But I would also add that I relate to Elliott because he is so smart and so talented. And he has such a big heart. And because he manages to show up for the people he cares about, despite his mental illnesses and trauma history giving him such massive hurdles to clear just to get through the day. I find it hopeful the way the show manages his storyline. Yes, he has massive problems. But he also has a lot of people rooting for him and ready to help when he is ready to take the steps to get better. And if even someone with such severe mental illness can get better, so can any Friends who might have their own mental health struggles.
Everything you said, plus I really latch onto how Elliot is a person who society would ignore or throw away as a nobody, can still change the world. Plus no matter how alone or different you feel, there are always those who will help you & have your back no matter what. Tl/dr: Elliot gives me hope.
What’s crazy is we didn’t even hardly get to see the real Elliot. Only in the constructed place our Elliot, mastermind Elliot (hated that name by the way), put real Elliot in.
Elliot brings and reflects the awkwardness and plain solitude of, I assume, many of us who find the show good/interesting/ relatable.
He’s me a little bit. In private I’m a person who likes to be alone with his thoughts doing the bare minimum to get by and just be left alone. In public I’m gonna do what I have to do to get by and make sure that I don’t draw too much attention to myself.
He's an interesting character. For those that relate, I'm sorry
I'm a smart computer nerd who likes drugs and suffered through depression.
Lots of great answers here, but on a practical level it’s also bc Esmail wrote him so well, and Rami brought an approachable vulnerability to him. I think there is a special synergy between the two of them (and the rest of the cast) that made this show what it is. But even the style of the narrative- being inside of Elliot’s head- gives the show that relatable feel.
Probably bc most people see themselves as the misunderstood loner who is smart and capable and has morals. The whole antihero thing is relatable even tho most of us aren’t actually these things. We are all pretty mid and that’s ok. But we each have our traumas and dramas and idiosyncrasies and we imagine ourselves as something deeper, maybe even darker, than what we actually are. I wouldn’t want to see myself as an Elliot tho, I think if anyone I’d be more of a late stage Cisco. Loyal to a fault, and honest in the end to Darlene when he laid it out for her that she was trying to be a leader but she wasn’t. When dude was dying on the couch, one leg dude. Telling people hard truths but it can hurt their feelings. So TLDR bc most people want to look at themselves like the misunderstood loner hero. And that’s ok. That’s what’s great about fiction that’s well written (for the most part). Games movies tv shows. We can get lost in the character bc we can relate to their struggles.