Despite claims to the contrary, the moon is the same as ever.
Gianluca Masi / Virtual Telescope Project
If you’ve ever turned the TikTok “For You” page and caught a glimpse of an ethereal-looking person surrounded by candles, crystals, or plants, chances are you’ve had a brush with WitchTok. With more than two billion TikToks with the hashtag WitchTok, it is an increasingly popular corner of the Internet. But as with all niche interests, some people take it too far.
WitchTok is now one of the most far-reaching communities on TikTok, spanning not only the world, but now supposedly even the Milky Way. All because a small anonymous contingent of beginner, or “baby,” says that witches have, * check notes *, spell the moon.
On any other day, WitchTok focuses primarily on witchcraft, rally, multi-deity worship, and astrology, celebrating everything magical through content based on pranks and healthy advice. Now though? Mass anger and outrage.
Other WitchTok users have flocked to various social media platforms to discuss what happened and whether the consequences of the “incident” are likely to occur, and most of the community at large expressed frustration.
Twitter user @heyyadoraa posted a thread documenting what had happened for anyone unfamiliar with WitchTok and from there the story was, well … crazy.
BASICALLY –
In recent days, a group of FRESH baby witches * decided to unite and cast a spell on fairies. and then the moon and they did it!
(Now they also plan to enchant the sun)
* Inexperienced witches who should only be investigating and doing protection work
– jupiter ✿ (@heyyadoraa) July 19, 2020
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
Well, for witches, the moon is an integral part of our work. most notably, it fuels spells and provides power. obviously you shouldn’t ???? lack of respect for the moon?
– jupiter ✿ (@heyyadoraa) July 19, 2020
Now scientifically speaking, is the moon okay? Yes. Never in doubt. Even most of WitchTok freely admits that the moon is fine. WitchTok user @thatonebluntwitch said on a TikTok: “I think they are more angry at the audacity of these idiots who would want to bewitch the moon or anything related to nature, because that is something sacred in witchcraft.”
Sure, it’s a fundamental aspect of something that WitchTokkers appreciates, so of course they’re upset. Believe it or not, it is an understandable reaction. But as much as people can believe in hex power and negative energy, the moon is the same as ever, and no amount of spells or intentions will change that.
According to Dr. Alice Gorman, a senior professor of space archeology at Flinders University, Australia, “You actually know that the moon will not fall from the sky, the tides will not stop happening. It won” t turn blue or green, but it shows that there are continually new ways that people find an emotional connection to the moon. “
Cultural and social beliefs have power, so if people are convinced that the apparent spell can have an effect on their lives, it could very well, not because their deities are angry or because the moon is angry, but because of prophecy. self-compliance and confirmation bias.
It’s also important to remember that many of the allegations are anonymous and lacking evidence, apart from a Reddit thread that “calls” four unnamed witches, so add another grain of salt to the pile.
But if you’re worried that the TikTok baby witches have thrown something with their hex, don’t stress. 2020 has been challenging enough without adding an angry moon to it.
