Hopecore: The Internetification of Existentialism
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In the fragmented soup of life, which sees a chaotic online landscape mirroring the splintering of society towards disarray and dystopia, it seems only natural that audiences are embracing existentialism and nihilism. Existentialism, the philosophical idea that we are free agents, able to prescribe meaning to our lives and nihilism, the rejection of all meaning and value in existence, are two schools of thought increasingly underpinning our lives.
Social media since its inception and more latterly between ads has always promoted the sharing of thoughts, ideas, and content, providing a snapshot into the minds of its users. In its underbelly, inhabiting the niche corners of online spaces, web weaving can be found. The Tumblr-born content format, characterised by a hodgepodge of aesthetic imagery, quotes and song lyrics, has long existed to tell the hopes and aspirations of subculture audiences.
Despite its shift in format and re-emergence on TikTok, web weaving always maintained a fuzzy, contemplative feel, disarming the viewer and encouraging them to engage with the message of the art form. Now, a new branch of web weaving has spawned into existence: hopecore. Hopecore presents a small, cute animal, paired with a garage/jungle track and WordArt-baked slogans. It feels jarring, other-worldly, ironic and so much more. Extending the family tree of web weavings, hopecore is the more ironic cousin, adapting a sincere yet undeniably cynical approach to providing motivation; Subverting the traditional endearment of its parent format, hopecore forgoes emotion for meme-like existentialism.
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As the satirical, y2k-ified content archetype increases in popularity, hopecore content has already gained over half a million likes at the time of writing, pointing to a shift in user behaviour towards the existential. The 2000s aesthetic adds nostalgia and comfort, harkening back to early childhood memories of safety and simpleness that are now lost. The plainly worded, live laugh love-esque positivity affirmations, paired with the clunky rotation of the images, feel much more instructional, fact-based and empirical than their intricate web weaving counterparts. The user is thrown off-guard, pushed to re-evaluate everyday minimal actions, as is in line with the idea of existentialism and its grounds in agency and free will.
Wider meme culture has also evolved to ironically incorporate nihilism and existential dread, using dolls, cartoons and animals to represent ourselves and our helplessness within the world. A more stark example, feeling more linked to nihilism and meta-irony is lobotomy core, in which users, mainly women, explore numbness and a satirical wish to undergo brain surgery to subdue their existence and their suffering. The nihilistic thread tying this content together sees users across different digital spaces engaging with the question of existence. Whilst the conditions we are currently living in, our access to information and emphasised sense of individualism is unprecedented, the query is not a new one.
A note in the 1960 Bulletin of Atomic Scientists discussing the birth of nuclear weapons, poignantly states: “The development of science and technology is rapidly changing the realities of human existence; one does not need to be a Marxist to say that this change in existence must entail changes in consciousness”. The realisation that existence was contingent on the choices of individuals, rather than a God or deity, threw the collective consciousness into turmoil. Imperative beliefs in religion, our contribution to society, and the inherent sanctity of human life were shaken to their very core. Traumatic conditions based in war narratives paved the way for existentialism; a school of thought emphasising the individual's responsibility for developing their purpose in life.
“The renewed embrace of existentialism marks once again our inability to fathom the world around us.”
Combine existentialism’s conflict based history with the live streaming of genocide happening in Palestine, coupled with the further dissolution of traditional community and support networks in society, the renewed embrace of existentialism marks once again our inability to fathom the world around us. We can only look towards the things we feel we can control; ourselves and our actions. Whilst nihilism is very much alive within our generation, hopecore perhaps signals a tiny glimmer of change, encouraging us to revisit the smaller, valuable moments in life, instead of focusing on the overwhelming questions of existence.
Hope is undoubtedly not lost in younger people even while we embrace existentialism and nihilism with renewed vigour. Millennials, gen z and gen alpha are more politically active than ever: Under 35s shaped the largest demographic present at Black Lives Matter protests across the US and over 70% of young people surveyed in 2021, stated involvement in social and political causes. Swathes of data highlight the increased politicisation of young people, portraying a generation deeply enraged by racial injustice, the climate crisis, and neoliberalism; who are willing to go to great lengths to show their solidarity. Left-leaning discussions on social change, resource sharing and organising online form one of the most consistent pillars of content across social media, even if our memes are displaying more and more apathy.
Perhaps we have mastered the capacity to feel and experience everything at once, embracing the existentialist, nihilist soup of life yet still choosing to show up when we need to. Online, all of the parts of ourselves can co-exist and take up space; our active desire for social change and overwhelming disillusionment with life can sit beside each other in harmony. Just as our minds contain our happiest and saddest moments, the internet is replicating the mind as a holder of information as well as a secondary space for uploading our feelings, concerns, thoughts and emotions. Whilst existentialism, nihilism, capitalism, discrimination and everything in between have been internetified, so has the good stuff, kindness, championing the voices of others, community and humour.
Words: Emma Quin