Writer: Laavanyaa Joshi
Editor: Nishtha
Illustrator: Parina Ramchandani
There are several different perceptions of beauty that exist in society today, each of them distinct and and different in their own right, appealing to and impacting an individual's mind in their own unique way. In philosophy, the field of Aesthetics is one that deals with the concept of beauty in all its different forms, and studies its influence on societal mindset as a whole. Considering how most of our time is spent on social media our content on such platforms is very carefully curated. Social media aesthetics play a pivotal role in how we consume content online. A social media user or a content creator creates content with a certain aesthetic in mind that pleases the audience that they want to cater to. Communities and platforms that produce and showcase these aesthetics bank upon validation. Anything that is produced on these platforms needs to be accepted by the community and thus when we adopt a certain aesthetic against our individual identities we lose control.
For the most part, these trends or aesthetics come off as harmless interests that are often taken up by people to add an aspect of aestheticism to enhance their own experiences and perceptions. However, most of the toxicity present on the internet stems from doing the same. Upon researching cyberspace for these aesthetics, there is a certain pattern that can be observed. Especially while surfing through applications such as Pinterest, we find that individuals representing these aesthetics generally tend to belong to a certain privileged strata of society. Most of these aesthetics such as “Dark Academia”, “Cottagecore” and “Y2K” that have become a global trend only appealed to those who could afford to follow them.
A classic example of the Dark Academia aesthetic is sitting in a dark, dimly-lit room on a gloomy day, probably dressed in vintage clothes, perhaps a turtleneck and trousers, while you hold a cup of tea and listen to classical music, surrounded by stacks of old classics written by often condemned writers and poets. The Dark Academia aesthetic is characterised by darker colour palettes and hints of neutral colours. This particular aesthetic is often associated with those pursuing the field of arts and literature.
Now although this might just seem like a harmless way of life that a person chooses to follow, Dark Academia comes with its own set of issues and negative connotations. Since it is rather eurocentric in its origin, it only lays emphasis on ancient Rome and Greek culture and is hardly inclusive to any other culture around the world. In terms of Dark academia literature, there is a sharp focus on old English, Greek and Roman works, which tends to imply negligence or non-inclusivity of the wide array of classics that originate from other cultures. Dark academia has also been known to romanticise obsessive and depressive behaviour, as well as glorify addiction and overconsumption of coffee.
Originating in 1995, and through the years leading up to 2004, the Y2K aesthetic was what you were most likely to encounter when you picked up a magazine. Even today, it continues to be viewed as one of the biggest trends of the late 90s and the early 2000s. The perfect blend of pop culture with vibrant colours and peppy fashion, it made for a loud, bold and creative aesthetic. In recent times, the Y2K trend has been resurfacing across all mainstream media and platforms.
The Y2K aesthetic, too, has its own set of negative connotations attached to it, especially with respect to young girls. This trend and the clothes that define Y2K fashion are designed to cater to very specific and possibly unrealistic body types. Y2K fashion trends lay emphasis on low-waist jeans, baby tees, etc, which only celebrate a traditionally “skinny” body type. These trends also in a way normalise the sexualization of girls, most of whom were minors. The rise of Y2K fashion trends also ushers in new problems such as the lack of inclusivity focusing only on white models.
Another globally known aesthetic centred around a secluded country life, surrounded by nature and rooted in simplicity, the Cottagecore aesthetic is a style that originated recently on the internet and is, simply put, a minimalist perception of life, fashion and art. This aesthetic has been used as a tool to further activism many times. It has even been accepted by the LGBTQIA+ community as a form of escapism from a rather heteronormative society, implying a direct link between those who live by this aesthetic and those belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community.
Though it seems like an almost idyllic trend, this too isn’t entirely free of disapproval from critics. It romanticises a certain way of living which would undoubtedly come with its own set of challenges which remain completely overlooked by those who follow the trend, most of whom come from urban areas and developed cities. It seldom takes into account the difficulties faced by the residents of an isolated countryside cut off from all the privileges of city life that are often taken for granted. While the Cottagecore aesthetic in itself is something awfully simple and lowkey, the unconditional romanticism of it is certainly something to be pondered upon.
These criticisms certainly urge us to look at an aspect of this recent trend that is not often explored– making us question whether these aesthetics are truly as worthy of romanticising as they are made out to be. One thing that is certain is that aesthetics dominate our creative outlook on society, and their influence cannot be categorised as solely positive or negative. As the saying goes, "Every coin has two sides." and this issue happens to be no different. While these trends certainly inspire creativity in the minds of the people, motivate them, make them strive for betterment, even, there are certain connotations that are attached to these that can be difficult to ignore and easy to fall prey to. A more responsible and cautious outlook is essential to ensure that they continue to benefit us rather than cause harm, which is what they were meant to do in the first place.
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