Poetcore: The Visual Face of Literature
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
The Digital Aesthetic of an Old Style
Historically, becoming a writer meant immersing oneself in one's inner world. In other words, it was a way of life and a state of mind rather than merely a profession or a means of self-promotion. This is evident from the fact that writers of earlier eras spent years producing works across various genres and literary forms, forming literary societies, and allowing their attitudes to permeate every aspect of their lives. Clearly, this is no longer the case today. The rapid pace of life brings rapid change, as well as different movements and styles. Recently, I came across a new movement that piqued my curiosity. After doing some research, I wanted to share it: “Poetcore”.
You may have encountered the “core” concept in social media hashtags or on visually rich sites such as Pinterest. Much like “punk” in literature, this suffix denotes content related to the subject in question. Here, however, the suffix relates more to the adopted persona, lifestyle and attire. In this context, “poetcore” refers to a movement that incorporates a poetic style. But what does “being poetic”, “acting poetic”, “iving poetically” or “dressing poetically” actually mean? Another question is the extent to which it’s connected to older writers. Let's think about this together as we read on.
So one of the questions is: “What on earth is this, and why has it started to become popular?”
As far as I can tell, the main reason for this is the growing popularity of literary activities, especially reading, on social media. Whether this literature is genuine is another question altogether. I believe that content sharing on social media platforms such as “BookTok”, which I have mentioned previously, has played a significant role in this. In other words, it has taken on a visually striking form rather than being popular only in a textual sense.
Clothing choices such as woollen cardigans, turtleneck jumpers and comfortable vintage or retro-style garments; colours such as pale, cream, brown and black; and related accessories such as parchment, fountain pens, typewriters and postman's bags seem to characterise those who frequent bookshops. This style seems to suit those who simply wish to read or write, the introverted, those who love the quiet of a library and those who strive to embrace an organic lifestyle.
Of course, different eras produce different styles, which is perfectly understandable. But how can one style, such as poetcore, come to dominate another? To answer this question, we need to consider the personalities of its proponents and the conditions of the era in which it emerged.
From what I’ve read, poetcore began to make a name for itself around 2024–25. I don't know about you, but I probably only became aware of it recently due to the prevalence of other styles. I think this movement particularly resonates with introverted people. During the pandemic, we all experienced our individuality to the fullest. We experienced what it meant to be alone with ourselves. We took up new hobbies, honed our skills and made an effort. Social media and books were the two main things that kept us occupied while we were stuck indoors. Reading stood out more, I suspect. This, in turn, paved the way for an increase in literature-based content on social media, such as BookTok and online book clubs. In short, the emergence of poetcore following the global lockdown is perfectly understandable.
Another aspect that caught my attention was, of course, the age of these people and the generational groups they belong to.
You’ve probably noticed the age range associated with any social media trend. Unlike trends aimed at a general audience, I’ve realised that the 25–34 age group constitutes the majority of users, and the statistics from my personal accounts confirm this. So yes, there is indeed an age group currently driving social media. The majority outside these age groups consume or are exposed to the content of these individuals (this part is a bit more speculative).
My point is that people born in the '90s and subsequent generations are highly inclined to embrace this trend and related ones. But why might that be? Reading and writing alone cannot be the explanation. Another factor, in my view, is the fulfilment of a nostalgia-related need. We've noted that poetcore fashion is vintage. You’ll recall the craze for second-hand goods. While this isn’t exactly the case, it would be more accurate to describe it as adopting the aesthetic sensibility of the previous generation's lifestyle. Colours, accessories, and attitudes (some sort of ”roleplaying”) would also fit this description.
If we stop to think about it, we, the children of the '90s, were born into a world brimming with a desire to discover what the future held. Robots were going to be in every home, and the millennium was seen as a turning point. Technological gadgets were always marketed in this way, creating a veritable frenzy. Adverts and products seemed magical, as if they were ahead of their time. Now, however, we have reached an age at which we have realised not only that the future we were promised was nothing like that, but also experienced it first-hand. We've had enough of it. Conversely, technology has become less significant than ever before, as evidenced by the growing dislike of artificial intelligence these days (which is a separate issue). Revolutionary developments have been oversimplified, while simple ones have been shamelessly marketed. Once their true nature becomes apparent, they lose their value. This is our situation.
If we consider the younger generations, they were born into an age that was generally attuned to the digital world. To them, future-oriented marketing seemed rather superficial. To be honest, they were late to the party. We played games and watched films, imagining ourselves inside space shuttles, but there was no marketing to inspire their imagination. At least, that wasn’t the kind of marketing that was prioritised. Instead, a new form of artificiality emerged, sustained by nonsensical ideologies imposed on us from time to time. So, what did the subsequent generation do? Some adapted in order to gain experience, understand themselves and establish their identity, while others embraced a lifestyle and style from the past in order to avoid an unfulfilled future. This has heightened the appeal of physical labour and related “core” activities, whilst evoking weariness in the face of the seemingly insatiable digital age. It's akin to trying to escape village life, reclaiming one's individuality and embracing a life of hard work and usefulness.
We all long for a way of life that acknowledges the human condition of imperfection, rather than striving for perfection. In this context, writing and reading are two of the most fulfilling activities. Both require understanding, as well as accumulated knowledge and experience, and both are time-consuming. This is one reason why people living fast-paced lives are constantly on their phones and cannot remember the last time they read a book. “I've seen the film adaptation of that book” is probably the best we can hope for. And, as you may have noticed, there has also been an increase in adaptations of classic literature. The paradox is that these adaptations impose nonsensical ideologies while reviving the aesthetic of a longed-for past and exposing it to us.
To be honest, I cannot say how widely this style will be accepted, as it will probably require effort. It is doubtful how much people who spend their days constantly on social media (treating it as a second home, so to speak) will be able to internalise this. The most important feature of this movement, and its contradictory aspect, is distancing oneself from screens as much as possible, embracing poetry and the pen, and rejecting artificiality while seeking knowledge. I do not believe the majority will be able to adapt to this. Otherwise, where could they display this? On the other hand, it is hard to imagine anyone among these people ever filling the shoes of our old poets and writers.
Of course, that only considered the literary aspect. The aesthetic side also seems open to criticism. As with other trends, it will undoubtedly be exaggerated in the quest for social media likes. The vast majority won't adopt it as part of their personality; even if it genuinely is part of their personality, they'll hesitate to express it through this trend. Will it be limited to a fleeting fashion consisting of hashtags, trend-specific filters, flowery phrases and flashy accessories that prominently display the brand? Will it be confined to comments such as “I’ve always carried that poetcore vibe inside me”? As is well known, the more people who adopt it, the more devalued those who genuinely embody it will become. Will it simply brush past us as a passing whim, branding the genuine and the superficial alike? Only time will tell how social media will play out.
Comments