Jaehwa Bernardo

Article (news)

At what point does ‘aura farming’ become uncool?

ABS-CBN News Digital Intern

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1762423063222Aura Farming Thumbnail.png" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>You may or may not have felt this article’s “aura” from several scrolls away. </p><p>In today’s internet lexicon, the word “aura” has taken a whole different meaning from its textbook definition. No longer about spiritual energy, it now refers to one&#x27;s level of coolness defined by style, confidence, and how calmly they carry themselves in any given moment.</p><p>When you come across a closing elevator, do you dash hastily to get in or do you just walk towards it in a nonchalant manner? The latter choice is considered cool, while the former, well, it is seen as “goofy.” </p><p>You gain aura by pulling off something awesome like effortlessly executing a backflip. But if it goes the other way around, like say, doing something cringe, you get negative aura.</p><p>And that’s exactly what people bear in mind whenever they are in public. </p><p>People on social media make it their goal to max out their aura as much as possible, and this is where the “farming” comes in — doing an activity to increase supply of something. It is a concept borrowed from video games, which involves doing certain tasks to gain experience, currency, and items.</p><p>Combined together, psychologist and mental health consultant AJ Sunglao defined “aura farming” as when individuals intentionally manage how others perceive them in a more cool, aloof, and desirable way. </p><p>“It&#x27;s really a way to ‘manifest energy’ towards yourself… So, it&#x27;s kind of like you&#x27;re presenting yourself a certain kind of way because you think people value coolness or cold confidence,” he told ABS-CBN News. </p><p>But why do people go out of their way to act like they’re so cool?</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ANOTHER PERFORMATIVE TREND?</strong></div><p>Content creator and psychologist Riyan Portuguez connects aura farming to the classic psychological concept called “impression management,” which talks about how people curate their image to be perceived in a positive light.</p><p>“Di ba sa aura farming, you want to look cool online, so magpe-present ka ng specific na itsura mo or &#x27;yung charisma mo,” she said. “Kung anong gusto mong energy na makita nila sa&#x27;yo para maging cool ka, maging okay ka or in ka sa mga kasama mo.” </p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0rLxzb5RQ9gozECcMFRpBi5Pjqzj5AtYGi3CWbqfwkDJYRU8ednRTgbu6fyB1QRyEl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="581" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>According to her, impression management also includes how you present yourself in terms of physical appearance, behavior, and even how you interact or answer to other people.</p><p>“Kunwari, paano ka mas mag-mukhang smart, paano ka matanggap sa trabaho, mga ganyan &#x27;yung itsura… So ganoon siya ginagamit. O kaya in terms of politics, paano mo nape-present &#x27;yung self mo as a credible person,” she said.</p><p>Also known as “Your Millennial Psychologist,” Portuguez added that people want to be perceived as cool to gain more friends, feel more secure, and have a stronger sense of belonging.</p><p>“We want to present ourselves as cool or charismatic kasi aside from the status na pwede natin makuha kasi cool ka, popular ka, kapag ganyan, nandun din &#x27;yung feeling of connection and belongingness,” she said. “Deep down, ‘yun lang naman &#x27;yung gusto natin -- maging connected tayo sa particular group.”</p><p>That’s why for Sunglao, “aura farming” is without a doubt a performative trend. However, he feels how the concept has also been juxtaposed with irony because of how it is treated online — often as a joke and a form of mockery.</p><p>“It&#x27;s seen to be positive, but it&#x27;s also seen to be something ironic for other people… We&#x27;re at an age where people value authenticity, people value vulnerability more,” he said. “People are understanding that, ‘Oh, performative &#x27;yung taong ito, we don&#x27;t like that’... It&#x27;s all about perception naman kasi talaga.”</p><p>He added that people act cool to feel more respected and receive more attention as an individual, which most of the time, stems from a place of underlying insecurity.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘AURA IS CRAZY’</strong></div><p>The trend exploded back in July, when a clip of a 11-year-old Rayyan Arkan Dikha from Indonesia went viral — he was shown calmly dancing on the bow of a speeding canoe during an annual rowing festival. </p><p>With his shades, composed demeanor, and swaggy rhythm backed by Melly Mike’s hit single “Young Black &amp; Rich,” he became the poster boy of what aura farming is all about. </p><p>Social media users and content creators alike jumped in on the craze and made their own versions. It even made resounding waves in the sports world, where football players, and Formula 1 drivers perform the Indonesian boy’s moves as a celebratory dance, which in return racked up millions of views altogether. </p><p>However, the concept of aura farming had already been manifested in a bunch of different ways before. And it is all about how an individual can leave a lasting impression.</p><p>Portuguez pointed out that what is considered aura really depends on the generation. Like for Filipino millennials, she observed, it’s about collecting post-nominal titles after your name.</p><p>“Halimbawa sa mga millennials parang ang common &#x27;yung mga post-nominals eh… &#x27;yung mga titles sa dulo, paramihan ng mga nakuha,” she said. “Parang I&#x27;m ganito, slash ganito, slash ganito. &#x27;Yung maraming ganyan.”</p><p>Sunglao agreed that the concept isn’t new, as “aura farming” is simply the latest version of an old performative cycle — one that’s been amplified by social media. </p><p>“Not just new, even pre-internet, there have been the likes of James Dean… And it&#x27;s always been that enough parang cool equals status, status equals better,” he said. “The pressure to be more performative, the more you have certain insecurities, the more likely you engage in misbehaviors.”</p><p>There’s even a point system that determines how an action or a gesture can be quantified with an “X” amount of aura, where doing something cool can stock it up, while doing something embarrassing can diminish.</p><p>But as the psychologists put it, when you try too hard to farm for aura, you end up only losing it and making a fool of yourself.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>UNLIMITED AURA </strong></div><p>Trying to project a certain kind of image can be exhausting, especially when it strays too far from who you really are. As the psychologists explained, “aura farming” becomes unhealthy when it blurs the line between your actions and your sense of authenticity.</p><p>“When you say fake it till you make it, it&#x27;s not necessarily always bad… but aura farming is not about competency, it&#x27;s about perception,” Sunglao said. “So it&#x27;s harder to accept and take ownership of who you actually are.”</p><p>Portuguez further said that constantly keeping up with others’ expectations can take a toll on one’s self-worth, particularly when you’re always adjusting to fit in for social admiration.</p><p>For her, the most powerful way to gain aura is to embrace your vulnerability and be aligned with your true self, with the help of having a safe space.</p><p>“You will disappoint a lot of people when you become true to yourself, so expect mo na &#x27;yun… At the end of the day, the most powerful way is to be more authentic and honest to yourself,” she said. “If you create a safe space wherein you can express yourself, regardless kung sino ka na by default, I think hindi na sila mag-aura farm.”</p><p>Sunglao echoed similar sentiments, saying that everyone has their own unique aura — all they need to do is own it.</p><p>“Own who you are… There’s nothing cooler than someone who&#x27;s completely accepted and completely brings themselves up on who they are,” he said. “Yung important dito kasi is you&#x27;re grounding yourself into what you can do better, into what you can control, which is sarili mo.”</p>

<p>In today’s internet lexicon, the word 'aura' has taken a whole different meaning from its textbook definition. </p>

In today’s internet lexicon, the word 'aura' has taken a whole different meaning from its textbook definition.

At what point does ‘aura farming’ become uncool?

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At what point does ‘aura farming’ become uncool?

ABS-CBN News Digital Intern,

Shayne Lee Andreas Macaraeg

Published November 06, 2025 06:14 PM PHT

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