NEW YORK, Aug 21 — In our everyday lives, we sometimes do things that we’re not proud of or even that we regret and wish we could take back. While these actions don’t necessarily define who we are, they could, according to a recent trend, be causing us to lose “aura points.” So watch your every move, as it could affect your level of “coolness” according to TikTok.

Did you text your ex in the middle of the night? That’s minus 1000 aura points. Helped someone with their grocery shopping? Congratulations, you’ve earned 1000 aura points. So you see, it’s now possible to measure your “aura” or charisma using a system of points. According to this theory, every good deed earns you points, while every faux pas costs you points. The higher your score, the more charismatic you are perceived to be. This concept, popularised by TikTok users, has recently exploded on social networks. According to a report by Wall Street Journal, publications with the hashtag #aurapoints increased by 378 per cent between May and June.

The idea of an aura is a concept originally linked to spiritual practices. It represents an invisible energy field that emanates from a person, often perceived as a halo of different colours, reflecting their emotional, mental and spiritual state. This notion has recently been hijacked by internet users to become a playful indicator of a person’s “coolness.”

A New York Times article from 2020 about a Liverpool football player prominently used aura in this regard. Despite the player’s repeated mistakes, his “aura” seemed to protect him from criticism. On the networks, this concept was quickly taken up and elaborated, all with a sense of humor, of course.

On TikTok, Generation Z shares countless anecdotes about aura points being gained or lost. Points are generally awarded for nonchalant or confident behavior. Of course, this counting system is far from serious. For example, you can lose 1000 points if you fail to open a restaurant door, or stumble in public. On the other hand, scoring a bowling strike from an armchair earns you 10,000 points, as it demonstrates your confidence and natural panache.

Sometimes, social media users invite others to guess how many aura points they’ve lost for specific actions. One user, for example, asked how many points she had lost by dying her hair blonde to please her ex. The comments quickly turned into a lively debate on concessions made for love.

A passion for astrology

According to Julian Baggini, philosopher and co-founder of Philosophers’ Magazine, this trend reflects Generation Z’s interest in astrology and other cosmic belief systems. “There is this kind of zeitgeist surrounding karma and energy right now, which is why they phrase it in terms of aura,” he says in a Guardian article. “It’s tongue-in-cheek, and it also seems to be a sort of weird contemporary honour code.”

Indeed, trends linked to astrological signs and love compatibility have proliferated on social networks in recent years. Paul Blaschko, assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, also quoted by The Guardian, likens aura points to a form of moral credit. According to him, every good deed could potentially offset future bad decisions. “These concepts are a way of talking about status, of using a gamified system to make a particular judgment on someone’s action, and inviting people [in the comments] to critique you,” he adds.

At a phase in life when they’re developing a sense of self and building their self-esteem, teenagers and young adults are constantly looking for ways to measure their worth, whether in terms of intelligence, charisma or attractiveness. But how many aura points would Generation Z gain if they stopped worrying about what other people think? — ETX Studio