At the end of last year, Instagram published its first trend report. While topics such as environmental awareness were expected to stand out in the report, an interesting result emerged. This was a new trend called “Dark Academia”.
If you haven’t heard of “Dark Academia” until today, you are not alone. But even if we hadn’t, posts tagged with the pseudonym Dark Academia, largely created by users between the ages of 14 and 25, have already reached millions on TikTok and Instagram.
What is Dark Academia?
There is basically no definition we can give for Dark Academia. This is because it is interpreted differently by different people. Your grandmother’s house would be an example. Likewise, the library at school can also be used as a theme. Although we cannot define exactly what it is, if you search for the tag on platforms such as TikTok or Instagram, you can see striking examples.
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These posts include handwritten notes on parchment, sculptures, classical books, tweed suits, uniforms with robes, classical music playing in the background, in short, you name it. Hobbies such as writing poetry, keeping a diary, studying Ancient Greek and Latin, and embroidery are also among the hobbies of those who adopt the Dark Academia aesthetic.
Although we cannot define it, we think you understand what it is, Dark academia is an aesthetic trend that has been on the rise in recent years. This trend, which we are not sure whether it is beneficial or harmful, is very popular among members of Generation Z, that is, those born between 1997 and 2012.
Young people who adopt this culture actually behave like ideal students. They often go to libraries and museums, study late into the night and, of course, consume more caffeine than average. The interesting thing is that they don’t do all this to get any grades. By the way, it’s worth remembering. This trend seems to have started with the coronavirus pandemic, when students around the world were forced to take classes from home and stay away from their studies.
What is the Dark Side of the Dark Academia Trend?
You must be happy that there are young people who study, go to the library and value knowledge. However, there is actually a thought-provoking side to this trend. It is true that these people are interested in reading. However, the theme is often about death. As a result, pessimism is the most important aspect of the Dark Academia trend. The reason why the aesthetic is called “dark” is basically related to this. Dark Academia typically focuses on intense and negative themes such as literary tragedy, debates about the meaning of life, heartbreak, oppression, escape and death. Books read by candlelight next to a skull are associated with a time when science was still overshadowed by religion.
It may be normal for adults over a certain age to follow such nostalgic currents. However, for young people around the age of 18, in our opinion, this is a psychologically troubling situation. By the way, we didn’t even talk about coffee, which is consumed too much at a young age. They say that every trend creates a countercurrent. This countercurrent has also formed as Light Academia. These people claim that Dark Academia is outdated and they prefer the opposite behavior. It seems that the battle of black and white is once again being fought in a very different way.
