Remember Patrick Bateman’s meticulous morning ritual—ice packs, endless crunches, that ridiculous nine-step skincare routine? Now that TikTok floods us with hour-long “get ready” videos and elaborate “looksmaxxing” routines, the idea of a hyper-curated self-care “grind” feels downright normal.
Ironically, Bateman was meant as a satire of soulless consumerism. His blueprint for brand obsession and physical perfection has become less “psychotic” in this world of haul videos and influencers—minus, I hope, the chainsaw.
