In Defense of Dark Academia
By: Philip Avilov
TikTok and Tumblr aesthetics have been on the rise over the past year. Dark Academia in particular caught my attention with its dramatic flare and studious tendencies. For an Exonian, the images of flickering shadows on brick and marble offer a range of pleasant memories. However, can the movement offer more than a clothing style? Dark Academia roots itself in a questionable past which we should be aware of.
Dark Academia offers a range of queer representation in the form of literature, art and music, often compounded by scene and setting (such as location in a boarding school). The Secret History by Donna Tart, a defining piece in the genre, has paved the way for this representation.
The aesthetic also encourages people to create art and learn for fun. It’s in the name, too—Academia. Poetry and sketching are particularly popular. Unlike some subcultures that rebel through rejection of learning, Dark Academia celebrates intellectual rebellion.
The aesthetic is a form of escapism. Ranging from Ancient Greece to the 1970s, a selection of books, songs and clothes act as a benevolent time machine, allowing escape from the realities of politics, climate change and general human violence. But owning tweed blazers and yearly museum passes is a privilege. It is a privilege to be able to escape at all.
Eurocentrism in Dark Academia is a prevailing issue. Heavily based in classics, it values Latin, French, English and American literature, which all stem from one literary tradition. The same tendencies are present in Dark Academia’s love of Gothic architecture and British weather.
Adjacent to eurocentrism stands the elitism of Dark Academia. Its cult classics, such as Kill Your Darlings and The Secret History, often revolve around private higher education institutions. Dark Academia also romanticizes substance abuse. Key icons of the aesthetic glorify caffeine addiction, alcoholism, the use of cigarettes and of psychedelics.
In conclusion, the aesthetic is a fun way to express oneself. However, we glaze over many problems that have molded its ideals if we only view it as a form of entertainment. It’s a double edged sword. If you take Dark Academia seriously, you’re plunging into a variety of outdated issues. If you don’t, you’re ignoring these issues for the sake of pretty photos. What is the solution? Research your aesthetics, reject the problematic, romanticize imaginary ancient people responsibly.
