According to Buzzfeed if you “Get on that Pumpkin Spice Latte grind,”  “burn fall candles until the entire house smells like and autumn walk,” or “apply and reapply seasonal lotion from Bath & Body Works,” you may just be basic…especially if you’re reading the Buzzfeed article about it.

There seems to a dirty connotation to that word, basic. I drive to school and in my car which smells like pumpkin spice thanks to my bath and body scents, listening to Imagine Dragons. I walk into school in my cute tan, ankle boots, John Green’s new novel in my backpack, and a pumpkin spice latte in my hand. Apparently, I am the epitome of basic but there isn’t anything wrong with that.

According to Jay Wertz, in an article titled “Pop Culture History from Ancient Times to Today,” the basic-ness of pop culture has been going on for centuries. William Shakespeare was the world’s first pop-culture superstar, so if you were born in 1585 and just loved “Romeo and Juliet,” you were definitely basic. Back in 1785 America if you drank coffee, wanted independence, and were a huge fan of General George Washington, you were basic.

The Industrial Revolution during the 19th century brought about the mass production of clothing, consequently creating a more basic society because everyone was wearing the same thing. In the 1950’s if you followed every move of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, and mimicked the style of James Dean or Elizabeth Taylor, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind, you were basic. So if you pride yourself in not being basic because you listen to old music from past decades, only drink black coffee, and read classics all the time, you’re just an old-school version of basic.

Everyone tries so hard to be different nowadays that we end up the same anyways. People who try hard not to conform to what’s popular are all the same in trying not to be basic or they’re just basic within other groups of media. Pop culture is relevant because everyone enjoys it, so if it brings you joy…go you. It doesn’t matter if you like taking cute pictures at the pumpkin patch, or enjoy driving up the canyon to look at the leaves changing colors while listening to Taylor Swift. No one else cares if you drink pumpkin spice lattes, read Nicholas Sparks novels, and wear PINK or NIKE sweatshirts. If something makes you happy then do it! Make the conscious decision to enjoy your “basic fall” thoroughly, however you choose, and everyone else can deal with it.