Summer has left a curious scene in several Spanish cities. Hundreds of teenagers gather in public squares to measure their "aura" through gestures, dances, and expressions that originated on TikTok. The expression "farming aura" has entered the conversation, and adults watch in bewilderment as a phenomenon blends the digital and the physical in an unprecedented way.
What began as an isolated meme has ended up filling spaces like the Plaza de La Seo in Zaragoza. Behind this trend lies a form of socialization that sociologists are already studying, and which raises interesting questions about the use of public space, the speed of trends, and the role of event organizers.
The origin of the meme and its leap onto the street
The term 'farming aura' comes from video game slang, where 'farming' means repeating an action to accumulate points. In the current context, it refers to building charisma or presence. The word 'aura' is used to describe a person's attitude, and its antonym, 'being Laura', indicates the exact opposite. These expressions, along with others like 'rizz', 'cooked', or 'sixseven', are part of a vocabulary that young people use daily and that adults barely understand.
The phenomenon spilled onto the streets when calls for 'aura battles' began circulating on social media. In Zaragoza, the historic Plaza de La Seo filled with young people forming circles to compete. The concept is simple: it's about demonstrating who has the most 'aura' through gestures and dances, while the rest film with their phones. The result is a circuit that originates on TikTok, materializes in the plaza, and returns to TikTok as content, similar to the competitive nature of today's top battle royale games.
The sociology of 'neotribes'
Tatiana Íñiguez Berrozpe, a professor of Sociology at the University of Zaragoza, analyzes the phenomenon as an example of 'neo-tribes'. Unlike older urban tribes, such as punks or metalheads, these groups are intense but have few requirements. Anyone can join and leave without a high cost. The key lies in the order of events: before, the community was born in the neighborhood and then created its own channels; now, the code emerges online, goes viral, and then seeks a physical place to meet.
The sociologist also points out that the need for personal space isn't new, but the algorithm has changed the rules. Staying up-to-date has become a social resource, and the speed of trends means adults are always late to the party. By the time a meme starts to become recognizable to older generations, it's probably already begun to burn out among young people.
The paradox of the screen and the street
One of the most striking aspects is the paradox it creates. For years, parents and educators have asked teenagers to put down their screens and go outside. Now that they're doing so thanks to TikTok, the adult reaction is one of incomprehension. Íñiguez sums it up clearly: "We've been asking them to go outside for years, but now that they are, what they're doing there seems absurd to us." The battles are free, outdoors, and don't require spending money, making them an interesting alternative to commercial entertainment.
Mobile phones don't disappear at these gatherings. On the contrary, they become an extension of the event. Attendees record, share, and comment in real time. The line between 'digital life' and 'real life' blurs to the point that sociologists prefer to speak of continuity. What happens in the square leaves a trace online, and vice versa.
The event as content and the organizer as facilitator
This phenomenon has also caught the attention of event organizers. The traditional approach involves an organizer creating an idea and then seeking an audience. Here, it's the other way around: the community already exists, has its own language and codes, and all it needs is a space to connect. The organizer ceases to be a producer and becomes a facilitator.
Furthermore, the event already comes with built-in content. Every reaction, every gesture, and every battle is a potential source of viral videos. For brands, the lesson is clear: instead of trying to build a community from scratch, it might be more effective to find an existing one and offer it an experience that resonates with it.
The 'aura farming' meme may disappear in a few months, replaced by another expression equally incomprehensible to adults. But the underlying mechanism seems to be here to stay. The need to belong, to recognize one another, and to be together remains, and now it finds in social media the starting point for filling public squares. The debate about safe and free public spaces for teenagers is more open than ever.