It’s easy to align ourselves with a certain “aesthetic.” This can be any sort of categorization of what you like, how you dress, and how you act. “Aesthetics” are an entirely limiting label. It seems that people often abide by “aesthetics” to have a sense of themselves from others’ perspectives. Social media even forces them onto people to certain extent – branding your account through something as simple as editing your photos in a certain way contributes to the perception of an aesthetic. It’s unnatural and unsustainable, especially with the evolution of culture. It becomes stressful when you find yourself somewhat locked into an “aesthetic” even if you don’t identify with it. Of course, be yourself no matter what, but “aesthetics” put unnecessary weight on that concept. Autumn Hutson states in the source below, “Allowing ourselves to fluctuate and change — to be humans rather than brands or hollow aesthetics — is probably the most interesting style choice we could make nowadays. We’re all multifaceted and ever-evolving, especially when we’re young. Perhaps embracing this nature could unleash a new level of creativity within internet culture.” https://autumnj-hutson.medium.com/aesthetics-should-go-out-of-style-eac37f1ce93e

**Tl;dr: Social media introduces us to many aesthetics we would not be exposed to otherwise and so become attracted to them via this platform. They provide a sense of community and so there is nothing wrong with identifying with an aesthetic.** For many, social media is a way we can discover what we do and do not like. It exposes us to different aesthetics and styles which we would not have been exposed to otherwise. For many it is a community to identify themselves with and there is nothing wrong with seeking this sense of belonging with your favourite fashions, music taste, etc. Instagram's explore page is packed full with fashion posts, quotes, etc, which all have their own vibe and style. The more we like certain content the more Instagram exposes us to these posts creating a community to align ourselves with and identify to. This does not necessarily mean people are 'trend-hopping' as many people identifying with certain aesthetics (e.g. Y2K) often are accused of. People are merely using social media to find a community and style which they feel connected to and wish to identify with. Liking certain styles is often stigmatised, but why can't people enjoy and identify with what they wish to without being penalised for it?

**TL;DR- I think that there is absolutely nothing wrong with identifying with an aesthetic, as they can be fun and a great way to express yourself. However, it can become problematic when a once harmless aesthetic is taken too far and lacks inclusivity.** The aesthetic I'm going to be looking at here is 'dark academia'. I am personally very fond of this aesthetic, and if people use it to identify themselves then that's a great way of artistic self-expression. However, there are some people who take this aesthetic way too far, and I see a lot of posts explaining why dark academia can sometimes be taken to a point where it's not just an aesthetic anymore, but rather an excuse to say harmful things etc. Dark academia is an aesthetic based around classic literature, mythology, the 18th and 19th centuries, and the Gothic/Romantic eras of art, poetry, philosophy, etc. Although appreciation of the aesthetic from this period is often harmless, some people aligning themselves with dark academia take the aesthetic as an excuse to venerate the elitist and intolerant ideas of some of these 18th century academics and philosophers. There are many critiques of dark academia regarding this, in addition to the fact that the aesthetic is wholly Eurocentric. As Emily Jewett states in *Study Break*: >'[Dark academia] falls short of what it could be. Unfortunately, in its skyrocket to popularity, this aesthetic has become Eurocentric and white-washed...When I searched “dark academia” on Pinterest, any person included in a photo was seemingly white. White hands, white arms, white faces and European hair. I scrolled and scrolled but found nothing deviating from the Eurocentric norm' [1]. So dark academia does definitely have its problems underneath the surface of a seemingly harmless aesthetic. It has also received criticisms for supposedly romanticising mental illness and alcoholism. There is nothing wrong with aligning yourself with an aesthetic, or multiple aesthetics, as long as you go about it in a healthy, inclusive way and don't take it to such an elitist extreme. Aesthetics are, after all, artistic expressions rather than strict ways of life. [1] Emily Jewett in *Study Break*, January 18, 2021 [https://studybreaks.com/culture/reads/dark-academia-diversity/]