002 - Enter Vampire Mode 🦇
By Guest Editor Ashleigh Kane
Now and again, a term comes along that so succinctly bottles the zeitgeist that it’s like, wow, okay, seen.
You might have heard the words Goblin Mode bandied about, a descriptor-du-jour encapsulating the ultimate anti-aesthetic. Those ‘going’ Goblin Mode often favour sweatpants over suits; scrap together haphazard dinners from odd bits in the fridge, and can doom-scroll like no other. In short: it’s giving… well, it’s giving nothing at all.
But Goblin Mode is far more than a behavioural set, it’s a mindset: a rebuttal of social expectations, capitalism, labour, productivity, and even the upholding of fashion and beauty standards. Naturally, it goes against everything we were told was a respectable way to go about our lives. The self-indulgence and nihilist mentality of Goblin Mode is the antidote to the idea that hustling and grinding ourselves into pulp is the only way to participate in society successfully.
But for the context of where we are (Goblin Mode) and where we’re going (to be announced later), we’ll need to understand where we came from. And that, reader, is #thatgirl.
There’s likely a #thatgirl shining on your feed right now. Cast your mind back to the early days of the pandemic where WFH (or furlough) offered an opportunity like never before: 24/7 betterment. Thus, we curated our highest selves – sourdough starter, 10-step skincare routine, and 6 am mid-yoga mirror selfie – broadcasting ‘them’ to the world through Instagram and TikTok. And because it was just that, solely online, it was easier to pull the strings on our own image than ever before. We were our very own Wizard of Oz.
Goblin Mode is the villainous antithesis to #thatgirl that’s emerged from the shadows as a sign of the times. While #thatgirl and the pandemic were major ingredients for this vibe shift soup, add in the commodification and whitewashing of wellness culture, and the proliferation of wokeness. There are also face filters and FaceTune, the rise of the Instagram dump and shitposting. And let’s not forget the demise of #GirlBoss and millennial pink, and an anti-work, anti-capitalist, anti-grind mindset that resulted from The Great Resignation.
Goblin Mode is a protest of all of the above – things we’ve embraced in our attempts to attain perfection, or at least its veneer. But in an increasingly precarious world, the control that underlined #thatgirl has been swallowed whole, its consumption sitting sickly in our stomachs. Think of Goblin Mode as undoing the top button on our metaphorical trousers to relieve the pressure.
But Goblin Mode isn’t where this particular vibe shift stops. Especially now that Elon Musk has adopted Goblin Mode as one reason for his Twitter takeover. This swing into the sinister means many of us Goblins will be looking for a new #Mode to harness.
According to goth historian and Associate Professor of Research at the University of Hertfordshire, Sam George – who spoke to The Conversation – Vampire Mode is the answer (finally, the internet has caught up with us MORNING people). George reasons that as we emerge from lockdowns and restrictions ad nauseam, we’ll want to adapt to something sexier but equally villainous.
“Instead of holing up and resigning to a fate forever in goblin mode, we should follow the example set by vampires and aim to emerge from the pandemic as better versions of ourselves.”
“Goblins by comparison, are unlikely romantic leads, they’re not sexy – or aspirational,” she continued. “Modern vampires also have an association with youthful culture that could be refreshing after two years of pandemic-induced hibernation.”
It is possible that after more than 24 months at the mercy of the pandemic pendulum, we’ll be grasping at the elixir of eternal life to make up for lost time. Is Vampire Mode the new (ab)normal? Will we finally transcend the banality of banana bread and juice cleanses, fuelled by the same nihilism that sparked Goblin Mode – yet slicker, sexier, and with a far better wardrobe?
For the less garlic and goth attire-inclined, fear not, just embrace your inner and outer feral club rat. As reported on Dazed Digital last month, feral club rat is the result of “the rise of a more genuine, widespread inclination towards reckless abandon” post-pandemic. Albeit as you might have guessed, this one is less Great Gatsby and more… South London squat rave.
Whether you’re Goblin Mode, Vampire Mode, or feral club rat, ultimately, these villainous modes prove that despite our attempts at control, chaos reigns.
The Morning View –
💩 Lose control E.g. is your social strategy pre-pandemic? It’s time to loosen up and revisit your approach to align with Gen Z’s nihilist mindset. Shitposting, dumps. If you can’t beat the chaos, join it.
🖼️ What do you meme? E.g. Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words – and mostly that meme is a cat doing something – anything, really. Memes can act as a mirror to culture and create inroads for new dialogues with your audience.
🌀 Show your humanity. E.g. Perfection is so pre-pandemic. We’re all spiralling, and it’s okay to say that out loud. Be a platform for your community, and don’t be afraid to have and host uncomfortable conversations. In a virtual sea devoid of meaningful content, be the real deal.
🧛🏻♀️ Sink your teeth in. E.g. TikTok trend forecasters are making and breaking the next #modes at lightning speed – so, turn up and tune in.