Über den Blog Beiträge – Übersicht

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TIKTOK, SENSE SHOCK

veröffentlicht am 12.12.2022

Andrei Coca, B.A. ist Student am Institut für Religionswissenschaft, Heidelberg. Er beschäftigte sich vor allem mit Kunst und Philosophie und deren Verbindung zur Religion.

Some may speak in tongues, and some supposedly get drunk on the Holy Spirit; some may feel touched by God through the TV, and some swipe on TikTok to be saved from boredom. Media and entertainment are intrinsic to religion, and presumably, this is nothing new (MEYER 2008). If that is true, can an application such as TikTok be understood under these terms? That is, can we describe TikTok as a sensual religious structure?

To understand the connection between materiality, the senses, TikTok, and Religion, Hubert MOHR’s article "Wahrnehmung/ Sinnessystem" will provide valuable insights. Such as one that is fundamental to our analysis: There is no religion without the senses.

We shall first consider TikTok’s interface, which is filled with symbols that have an essential particularity in common: They are all rounded up, and there is no sharp angle, not even on the home button, considering that houses are not all that round in reality (see appendix 1). This choice is not by chance but rather a developing theme in all phone apps; the Facebook interface also developed into circles or rounded-up shapes (see TSAUROVA 2019 for screenshots).

TikTok’s interface seems to emulate what is inscribed in individuals as good. It is enough to look at most children’s media to see that the characters drawn with sharp edges are mostly villains and the more rounded-up characters are good; whether that is inscribed on the individual or is a psychological given is out of the purpose of this text (see LIBERATORE 2016). Nevertheless, architecturally speaking, TikTok provides an environment that will be mostly perceived as welcoming and friendly, just as a Church or a temple offers an environment that can be considered wholesome and peaceful by actors. This is further enhanced by the friends button, conveniently placed near home.

The visual language of TikTok is short-lived and bound to ever-changing trends. Nevertheless, even though the trends change, some recurrent themes still exist, such as striking and saturated images or incredible bodies and locations regarded as ideals by some users. Some TikToks even deprive the users of any visual stimuli in preparation for a revelation, and thus excitement is built. Seconds after, the visual and auditive senses are saturated by what the TikTok community regards as beautiful or extraordinary. Therefore, a TikTok leads its users through a fast and feast of stimuli.

Regarding the auditory system, TikTok has transformed pieces of music into hymns. For example, different sea shanties emerged as extremely popular on TikTok. They are not only listened to with awe but also copied and sung repeatedly by other actors from the community (see SHAFER 2021). Isn’t this a dynamic ritual or rather performance (see BELL 1998) in the making? Other popular songs or sound effects are connected to emotions; they bring broken hearts or alpha males together and build communities of same-sensing people.

If we study TikTok from this perspective, we can say that it is a perpetual stimulus orgasm machine that brings the person into a sensual shock (ERTHAL 2022), all in just a few seconds. And, if we use the typology provided by MOHR, it is impossible not to see the sensual similarities between TikTok and other religious structures. It has a specific architecture that induces feelings, ritualizes the senses, and can transform actions such as dancing into an inherent part of being a TikToker; it reenacts important events in the community through trends, songs, and images. It amplifies through loud and overly-dramatic music or flashy colors. TikTok is the sensual structure on which ideas are built and shared just as much as a church is.

Appendix 1, Screenshot of Tik Tok’s interface made on 20.06.2022