There was a time when “niche” meant searching through dusty bins at a record store or thrifting vintage and unique staple pieces to show off. Everyone had their own music taste, sense of style, and hobbies; however, that feels like a lifetime ago now. “Niche” is a term thrown around, where every aesthetic and genre that once seemed “underground” is now “mainstream,” leaving zero room for a unique and fresh feel on the internet.
We used to call them subcultures. Whether someone owned a jockey look or a theatre kid persona, your “niche” represented you, and it took years of trial and error and changes in physical appearance.
“Honestly, sometimes I feel like I don’t even know what my ‘personal style’ is anymore,” said senior Angela Chen. “I see something cool on TikTok, I try it, and then it’s everywhere. It makes me wonder if I ever really liked it, or if the algorithm just told me to.”
TikTok is altering and shortening our attention spans. One minute you’re discovering an indie band, then a couple scrolls later, every influencer has that song in their GRWM videos. By the time you’ve bought something you felt was interesting and fit you, the algorithm has already moved onto a different look. It creates a strange contradiction throughout Salem, where our hallways are more visually diverse than ever, yet somehow it feels like everyone is reading from the same script.
There is an upside to the death of the “organic” niche, though. For kids who grew up in smaller towns or felt isolated by their interests, this algorithm can provide a community. Finding your people is easier than ever.
“I love being able to connect with people I never thought I could connect with. TikTok is a big part of my routine, and I always find myself scrolling and getting inspiration,” said senior Sofia Cateternam.
However, when every niche becomes a trend, does anything remain truly unique? Are we curated versions of ourselves trying to fit the changing trends, or is the internet making us realize our unique tastes were never that unique to begin with? If you buy a camera because you saw a “photo-dump” on your feed, are you a photographer, or are you just performing the aesthetic of a photographer? The line between a genuine interest and a “canned” aesthetic has thinned out.
“I think it’s both,” offers senior Isabella Gray. “The internet definitely exposes you to so many new things, which is awesome. But then it also makes everyone want to jump on the same bandwagon. It’s hard to find a true sense of self, but at the same time wanting to fit in.”
Next time you find yourself scrolling and taking in all the micro-tends that exist throughout the internet, stop and ask yourself if this fits you or just fits the image everyone else wants to be.
