In the Age of Self-Creation, Why We’re a Lot Like F Scott Fitzgerald’s Gatsby Now

But privilege, in any form—wealth, status, or access—comes with a cost. If you’ve read F Scott Fitzgerald’s classic, The Great Gatsby, more than once, you know what we mean. Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age masterpiece isn’t just a rags-to-riches tale; it’s a mirror of our desire to reinvent ourselves, to reach for something bigger, and the price we often pay along the way. This blog reflects on all of that—as we celebrate Fitzgerald’s birthday and mark 100 years of a classic that continues to resonate with us today.

Buy here: The Great Gatsby (100th Year Edition)

Display of Opulence: From Jay Gatsby’s Lavish Parties to Forced Social Media Glow Ups

“In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.”

Fitzgerald imagined Jay Gatsby as a figure who, despite being a product of the Jazz Age, feels surprisingly relevant in today’s world of social media and personal branding. Gatsby was a “self-made” millionaire, a man who reinvented himself entirely—but the means by which he achieved his wealth were deliberately mysterious, and, at times, illegal. His lavish parties, opulent lifestyle, and magnetic persona were as much about crafting an image as they were about genuine connection.

Today, the same impulse plays out on social media: carefully curated posts, extravagant displays of “glow-ups”, and the constant performance of a life we want others to envy. Both then and now, the allure isn’t just wealth—it’s the art of presenting yourself as someone larger than life, blurring the line between reality and aspiration.

The Pursuit for Love & Belonging: Then Vs Now

“There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired.”

What drove Gatsby to go to such lengths—throwing extravagant parties and amassing wealth through morally and legally ambiguous means? At its core, it was his relentless need for love and belonging.

Gatsby forms a bond with Nick, his new neighbour, and it’s through him that we learn the truth: every mansion, every glittering soirée, every carefully curated detail existed to capture the attention of Daisy—his unrequited love, already married. He wanted to rekindle a romance they had years ago, before he went off to war. Gatsby believed that performing this larger-than-life lifestyle would earn him a place in his unrequited love.

Today, the impulse isn’t so different. Social media feeds, influencer culture, and curated “highlight reels” of our peers show a modern pursuit of seeking connection, validation, and belonging. Like Gatsby, we often perform, project, and aspire in similar ways but with different tools. Whether through parties or posts, we remain just like Gatsby.

Also read: 7 Prize-Winning Classics That Conquered the Critics and Still Move Readers Today

Tragic Fate of Gatsby And Our Lives (Warning: Spoiler Alert)

“Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead.”

By the end of The Great Gatsby, we confront a haunting truth: none of the people who once called themselves Gatsby’s “friends” came to his funeral. His wealthy circle abandoned him, and Daisy—the object of his relentless pursuit—remained with her husband. It is Nick Carraway, Gatsby’s neighbour and the novel’s narrator, who is left to stand by him in the end, taking on the responsibility of arranging the funeral. In the end, only Gatsby’s father attends, the one person who truly remembers the modest, decent man Jay once was.

Fitzgerald poses a stark question: Is it worth becoming “self-made” if, in the end, we are left with nothing? His story exposes the flaws of the American Dream and the dangers of defining ourselves solely through ambition and outward success. Self-creation isn’t inherently wrong, but when it comes at the cost of our identity, our relationships, and our inner life, what are we really left with? That tragic question lingers, reminding us that even decades later, Gatsby’s story still speaks to the human struggle we all face.

Fitzgerald, Gatsby, and Us: A Timeless Reflection

“Can’t repeat the past?…Why of course you can!”

Looking closely at Fitzgerald’s life, The Great Gatsby isn’t so different from the era he lived in. The novel is set in the 1920s, a pivotal period in Fitzgerald’s own life, and this backdrop profoundly shaped the story he told. Beyond the era itself, there are personal echoes: both Jay Gatsby and Fitzgerald experienced love during war, and both sought love and belonging in worlds that were glittering on the surface but morally complex beneath.

As we reflect on his work on Fitzgerald’s birthday, it’s worth reading—or rereading—for every reason: to admire the glitter of the Roaring Twenties, to glimpse the mind of its author, to confront the moral rot hidden beneath wealth, and to ponder lost love. Ultimately, we see something of ourselves in Gatsby—the parts we keep hidden, the parts we long to display, and the parts we don’t quite understand. That enduring resonance is why Fitzgerald and his creation remain timeless.

Your next read: Before the Movie: The Story Behind Stephen King’s Shawshank Redemption