STILL following the “rizz,” “slay,” and “main character” ways of being cool? Then you are missing out on the new trend!
Losing aura points has recently become a popular trend on TikTok. Creators from different countries post their experiences, allowing other users to resonate with their stories.
“Aura Points” is a newly invented internet lingo by Gen Zs that refers to the energy and essence that a person gives off, particularly touching on one’s coolness in a situation.
As the trend has gained popularity, many people have begun documenting their aura points losses. These primarily consist of cringe throwback content, pettiness, regrettable mistakes, awkward situations—essentially every embarrassing moment that made them “uncool.”
About the trend
The trend uses a point system, where you can subjectively track the number of aura points you will lose based on the damage a situation does to you.
When do you lose aura points?
Feeling uncool can happen in various places, such as at home, school, or a mall. It’s unavoidable to do something that will negatively impact your aura, no matter how cool you want to be.
For instance, you might give yourself -1,000 aura points if you argued with someone and tried to dramatically slam the door, only to have your bag hooked on the doorknob. Or -5000 points if someone was staring at you and you thought they found you attractive, only to realize you forgot to put on your other mascara.
Meanwhile, creator @xenoicxavier posted a video about the worst ways to lose aura: talking to someone with food on your face, saying something foolish in public, and falling asleep first in a sleepover.
@xenoicxavier How much aura do you have?😏 #aura #relatable ♬ original sound – Xavier
Many users found it relatable and even added more ways in the comments. Snoring in class, accidentally spitting on someone while talking, and pulling a “push” door are only a few ways they mentioned.
While many creators track their aura points, others seek judgment from other users to determine point deductions, just like what creator @kewlua wrote:
“[H]ow many aura points did I lose when I tried to hold back my tears in school but lost it when one of my friends asked me if I was okay[?]”
@kewlua cried in her arms in the middle of the vb court, and there was like tons of ppl looking NOT COOL
♬ WILDFLOWER – Billie Eilish
In a nutshell, you lose aura points for every embarrassing thing you do.
Two sides of a coin
Shantel Baclagon, a member of Gen Z, has been consuming the content on her TikTok “For You” page. She spoke about how the trend reminded her of her experiences, especially during challenging moments, and how it struck a chord with her.
When asked what she thinks the focus of the trend is, she answered: “For entertainment purposes. To make embarrassing moments fun and lighthearted.”
The 23-year-old Ayessa has the same sentiments:
“I think the focus of this particular trend is mainly about TikTok users acting out specific scenarios or events in their lives in which they lose aura points because of awkward mistakes. Some of the stories and contents from this trend are somehow relatable and funny at the same time.”
While “aura points” may seem like another form of online humor and the new Gen Z way of measuring one’s coolness, it’s crucial to remember its potential impact on your self-esteem as part of the users. The pressure to maintain a certain level of “coolness” could lead you to suppress your true self and feel anxious about not meeting the ideal standard.
“I think this trend is subjective. It can be viewed in a positive and negative light. It can bring laughter to the audience and can connect people with similar experiences. But on the other hand, it may come out as offensive and harsh,” Baclagon explained to Republicasia.
Meanwhile, Ayessa emphasized that the current trend focuses on the user’s sensitivity to the “cool” image, which could result in losing touch with one’s authentic essence.
“The positive impact of this trend is that it promotes humor. However, its negative impact on people is it focuses mainly on image over substance since the trend is all about the idea of being cool.”
Moreover, in an article in The Guardian, Paul Blaschko, the University of Notre Dame’s assistant teaching professor of Philosophy, suggested that aura points could be linked to Alain de Botton’s concept of “status anxiety,” which refers to people’s perceptions about you, whether you’re a winner or a loser.
The assistant professor pointed out, “We constantly question our self-worth, which is influenced by how we believe others perceive us. Aura points enable us to negotiate this with others.”
Blaschko further highlighted that TikTok users seek critique from fellow users and actively establish social status by sharing opinions. This prompts you, as a user, to become anxious about your ‘status’ and whether or not you fit in with the cool standard.
Uncoolness increases aura points
Remember, just as you can lose aura points, you can also gain them!
Contrary to the concept of losing aura points because of embarrassment, you can earn points by accomplishing what makes you proud: loving yourself, moving on, achieving your dream, having the upper hand, etc.
For instance, creator @eli_idr shared that they earned 100,000 aura points after undergoing glow-up following a period of bullying.
But do you know what else can raise your aura count? It is knowing that losing aura points is okay!
Of course, nobody likes to be in uncool situations. But the point here is learning to forgive yourself and embrace your way of coolness, which enables you to gain infinite aura points.
“It’s normal to be embarrassed, and it’s okay to think lowly of ourselves sometimes, [but] not all the time. We gain aura points as well. It shows that we are imperfect human beings,” Baclagon asserted.
Furthermore, Ayessa mentioned that losing aura points can be either a source of fun or lessons: “I believe it is normal and acceptable to lose aura points. However, I also believe that everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes can be either amusing or serve as a valuable lesson.”
Losing aura points may cause a lack of self-confidence, making it difficult to acknowledge your mistakes, feel comfortable in awkward situations, and handle embarrassment, even over minor incidents.
Hence, it’s important to remember that it’s okay not always to be cool because everyone has experienced that at some point. It doesn’t diminish your worth; it only makes you cooler as you grow from those experiences.
With reports from Gella J. Aboratigue
