If you’ve used TikTok at all in the past few weeks, I’m sure you’ve seen a fad called “lucky girl syndrome” rise in popularity.

Lucky girl syndrome is a type of misleading manifestation, or reassurance by speaking something into existence, where you say something along the lines of “I am such a lucky girl and everything goes my way.”

On its surface, this doesn’t seem that irregular compared to other kinds of manifestation, but lucky girl syndrome differs because the influencers who publicized it are delusional about their privilege and mislead their followers into believing they can get anything they want with just their lucky girl mindset.

This affirmation harms those who’ve genuinely subscribed to lucky girl manifestation because those who promote it on TikTok already have everything they’re manifesting.

It’s their privilege that makes them so lucky. That’s the only factor that plays into the manifestation working.

Take influencer Laura Galebe, who amassed nearly 24,000 followers on Instagram and nearly 236,000 on TikTok. She’s credited with starting the trend, according to an article by the Washington Post, and serves as the epitome of someone out of touch with the average viewer.

Galebe probably doesn’t mean to cause harm by her videos, but it’s clear she’s tone-deaf. She’s promoting a false narrative by preaching to her followers that to lead a life like hers; all they have to do is simply say they believe they are lucky.

In her numerous TikTok videos, Galebe reflects on how her life has improved with this mindset. Though having a positive mindset in life can be beneficial. Having a positive mindset and not working towards your goals along with it, is not. 

There isn’t psychological evidence to prove that using this affirmation will improve your life, but Galebe being white, privileged, cis, and straight definitely increases her chance of being a “lucky girl.”

Ignorant, entitled white influencers don’t see the problem with this behavior. Some of their followers don’t understand just stating “I am a lucky girl” is not what’s going to make their lives better – being white, straight and privileged makes their lives better as well, and influencers like Galebe had what they wanted the whole time.

This is a problem because the opportunities and experiences that white, privileged, cis and straight Americans receive alone make them luckier and many of them don’t even realize it. 

Lucky girl syndrome acts as an excuse of privileged people to deny the immense advantage they have in life.

If you are not white, cis, and straight in America, getting opportunities and experiences will not come easy for you without work, no matter how many times you tell yourself “I am so lucky and everything works out for me.”

The reality of being a person of color in America means working harder than  your white counterparts and nothing is earned because of luck.

Lindsay Bickham is a 19-year-old mass communication freshman from New Orleans.