Klicken Sie hier für die deutsche Version dieses Artikels
On social media, every user becomes their own curator. The digital galleries of TikTok, Instagram and the like open up space for an aesthetic examination of one's own existence. In this way, the internet is changing not only our self-perception but also our understanding of aesthetics.
Journalist Kaitlyn Tiffany explains that the concept of aesthetics has already broken away from its academic and philosophical roots. Today, the English term "aesthetic" serves as a universal adjective, especially for young social media users — anything that is visually appealing is considered "aesthetic." In a broader context, the term also describes a certain "vibe" or "atmosphere."
Categorization of Atmospheres
The so-called "Internet Aesthetics" make it possible to categorize vibes and atmospheres. Every action shared on the internet, every attribute and every space displayed is given its own label. Content creators form new "Aesthetics" from a few buzzwords and visual codes.
Conventional representations of housewives, for example cooking a hearty lunch in a long dress, have become known as "Trad Wife". Romanticized rural life, portrayed through outdoor crafts and simple living, falls under the "Cottage Core" movement.
"Southern Gothic", an aesthetic composed of motifs such as abandoned houses, churches and cornfields, also includes melancholic music, like that of singer Ethel Cain. These and hundreds of other aesthetics are listed in the "Aesthetics Wiki", an encyclopedia created specifically for Internet Aesthetics.
Focus on the Visual
The focus of Aesthetics lies primarily on visual representation and the accompanying mood that users on social media can identify with. By contrast, established subcultures, go beyond mere external identification. They form communities based on shared values, perspectives, and skills.
The superficiality of Internet Aesthetics became evident when Kamala Harris's campaign team appropriated "brat", which refers to a rebellious, party-girl aesthetic named after Charli XCX’s album of the same name — a vibe Harris tried to adopt during her run for office.
"Hell of Sameness?"
The interplay between user-generated Internet Aesthetics and their lightning-fast appropriation by brands situates us at both the beginning and the lower end of a new era in art and cultural production. Influencers introduce new aesthetic trends almost daily, such as "Glazed Donut Skin" (skin that shines like a donut) or "Hot Rodent Boyfriends" (mouse-faced men).
The constant blending of atmospheres into chaotic content causes the original signals to disappear or become distorted beyond recognition. According to writer and artist Emily Segal, the content eventually dissolves into an amorphous, "vibey" mass in which everything is somehow like everything else. You can mix any vibe with any other element and associate a brand with it.
In a roundabout way, the philosopher Byung-Chul Han, who cultivates his very own aesthetic of Weltschmerz, described social media as a "hell of sameness". However, this analysis overlooks content creators and atmospheric designers, who maintain a distinct standard of quality and stand out from the crowd.
Commitment to Quality
One person who takes his work seriously is the designer and content creator Fuseinatti, whom I meet for a chat in Tokyo. Fuseinatti crafts new aesthetics from short clips of Japanese anime, clothing from his own fashion label, and footage from the streets of Tokyo, condensed into video snippets just a few seconds long.
As a remix artist, Fuseinatti fully leverages the potential of social media. He almost exclusively uses material that has already achieved significant pop-cultural success on its own. The components of his videos — ranging from tracks by Japanese City Pop legends like Junko Yagami and Anri to visually stunning scenes from anime classics such as Vampire Hunter D or Wicked City — are seamlessly synchronized through masterful editing.
According to Fuseinatti, he sometimes spends weeks perfecting his edits, always with the utmost precision. His approach is rooted in the Japanese work ethic known as "Kaizen", which he interprets as the focused dedication and continuous improvement of his craft to achieve the best possible results.
While companies like Porsche are already leaving clumsy compliments in the comment sections of his videos, Fuseinatti has so far refrained from entering into any brand partnerships. He views fast-moving vibe trends and Internet Aesthetics with skepticism. What quickly rises to the surface, the designer believes, tends to fade just as quickly.
Designer Fuseinatti
Interestingly, Fuseinatti's gaze is fixed on the past. His content evokes classical, almost conservative themes. Retro devices such as the Sony Walkman or old tube TVs serve as video artifacts.
The City Pop soundtrack underscores the prosperous 1980s in Japan, a time of economic boom followed by the recession of the 1990s, known as the "Lost Decade".
Even though Fuseinatti's self-designed clothing is relatively inexpensive, many of his videos showcase an upscale lifestyle. Combined with mid-century outfits, this sometimes creates an aesthetic that evokes a longing for a different time.
Escapism through Aesthetics
The translation of the analog world into digital media, along with the newfound control over one’s aesthetic presentation, also entails a moment of escapism. Increasingly, German cultural critics label young people who embrace aesthetics like the higher-education-inspired "Dark Academia" — characterized by school uniforms, historic literature, leather-bound notebooks, and neo-Gothic architecture — as nostalgic traditionalists.
Fuseinatti, however, does not see this as a criticism. The ability to slip into an aesthetic tailored to the moment, he argues, allows people to dream amidst the complexities of contemporary life.
Contrary to modern cultural critiques, the designer believes that the growing number of content creators has actually elevated the overall quality of digital content. Nevertheless, he insists that creators, in keeping with the Kaizen philosophy, bear a responsibility to uphold quality.
Whether this commitment holds any relevance in the boundless content ecosystem shaped by brands, I dare to doubt. After all, as Jean Baudrillard once said: "Art does not die because there is no art anymore; it dies because there is too much of it."