INTERNET AESTHETICS

The Cambridge Dictionary defines the English adjective “Aesthetic” as “relating to the enjoyment or study of beauty.”1 It is a word typically used to describe something aesthetically pleasing or particularly suited to a person. Gaining fame on social networks like Tumblr and Instagram, it quickly became a slang,2 or as The Atlantic's Kaitlin Tiffany suggests: “in the broader language of the Internet, it now identifies a collection of signifiers or, more precisely, a “vibe.” ”3

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Internet Aesthetics are a style of visual art, often combined with a fashion style, a subculture or a musical genre, that originates on or is disseminated on the Internet. They are used by younger people to express their individuality and creativity, but above all to generate a sense of community and belonging among people who share the same interests.4

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This method of communication has its roots even before the birth of Tik Tok, which today represents the best place for its diffusion. In fact, in the early 2010s the main platform that provided fertile ground for the development of an identity that fell within a specific aesthetic was Tumblr. In general, the help of digital platforms has meant that Aesthetics have become a collective tool for the social categorization of our identity.5

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To do this, Internet aesthetics must perform three main functions. The first is to create an all-encompassing bond, uniting certain cultural objects, such as clothing, music, works of art or images, under a common theme. The second is to communicate content related to a specific aesthetic, through hashtags such as 'cottagecore' or 'dark academia'. Finally, the third function is of a social nature, given that thanks to their online visibility, they create a desire to share.6

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A further characteristic sign of Internet Aesthetics is the absence of rules or limits. Each of them produces specific and detailed sub-genres, which make up a vast universe. This allows their expansion into different fields: from music to videos, from fashion to art. Their aim is not only to understand the peculiarities of these fashion phenomena, rather it becomes a priority to understand how important it is for young people to express their identity. This happens thanks to the analysis made by young people regarding the cultural influences present in their stylistic choices which, at least on the Internet, are united by uncertainty and the need to reinvent themselves.7

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From the spread of subgenres, niches are created that can be defined as spaces that are difficult to enter consciously, but where one ends up almost involuntarily following a labyrinthine path through hashtags. This path inevitably leads to the need to create an extreme synthesis of all these phenomena, even if this involves the loss of their specific meaning.8

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From this point of view, it is impossible not to notice that TikTok, a large-scale social network, has paradoxically taken on the role of a refuge for a vast range of increasingly specific and different niches. It would almost seem like it is bringing back what previously thrived on smaller platforms like Tumblr or Reddit. According to author Valentina Tanni, this happens partly due to the immediacy of TikTok and, above all, thanks to the algorithm, which strongly personalizes the experience.9