Talk:Rikka Takanashi/@comment-166.196.77.227-20140201182842/@comment-81.106.179.101-20140303044929

I think the point that the later episodes get across well is they DON'T believe it, at least, not deep down. I think the reason they seem to believe it stems from a DESIRE to do so, rather than actually being deluded. It stems from the fact that something encapsulates the afflicted's attention, and it interests them so much they wish they could live a fantasy, and since they acknowledge it's impossibility, they try to convince themselves of it.

I personally had this to a degree some years ago, I would spend time trying to convince myself that if I believed hard enough, I could create balls of fire in my hands. I would 'feel' the energy, but never quite do it, but the reason I wanted to believe I could was because I knew it was impossible, I wanted to prove the world wrong, that it was possible if you believe hard enough.

While to this day I wish I could click my fingers, concentrate and create fire, I still acknowledge that without some form of technology it is impossible, the only thing that's changed is that I gave up trying to prove myself wrong.

In reality, we all have eighth-grader syndrome, and we have it for all of our lives, we all wish we could do something extraordinary, and the more we know we can't, the more we wish we could. There is no cure for Eighth-grader Syndrome, but there is acceptance, and I think that is what this anime portrays amazingly.