- - Your kids might be 'aura farming' and 'clip farming.' Do you know what it is?

Charles Trepany, USA TODAYFebruary 17, 2026 at 5:50 AM

0

Everyone around you busy aura farming? Fed up with the clip farming all over your FYP? Or are you over the age of 25 and have no idea what any of that means?

New slang has captured the cultural zeitgeist − or at least the zeitgeist of Gen Alpha (born 2010-2024) and some younger members of Gen Z (born 1997-2012). One of those terms is "aura farming," and it's been making its mark on the internet, the NFL and, if you're a parent, probably in the backseat of your car, as you drive your kids and their friends to soccer practice.

But "aura farming" − and it's perhaps cringier cousin "clip farming" − aren't merely terms designed to baffle Millennials and Boomers (though they certainly do that too). According to linguistics and communications experts, they also say a lot about the world young people are coming of age in − and what matters to them as a result.

"While a 'new trend' to some, the teenage practice of establishing coded language and terms to describe lived experiences and social trends is not an atypical tactic," says Melvin Williams, associate professor of communication and media studies at Pace University. "Instead, the terms 'aura farming' and 'clip farming' illustrate Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s heavy social media reliance as well as digital media’s role in driving nearly all forms of their sociality approaches."

Gen Alpha are 'aura farming,' 'clip farming.' What is that?

No, "aura farming" is not some kind of occult ritual. And, in order to understand it, you what "aura" is first.

In Gen Alpha speak, "aura" basically describes that special glow around certain celebrities, influencers and, well, cool people in general. If someone has "aura," that means they're cool. Farming for aura, therefore, is doing things to boost your coolness. But beware: If it looks like you're trying too hard to be cool, you risk looking very uncool. Got it?

You're already trying your best, but we're here to make your life even better: Sign up for our newsletter Better Yet.

One blueprint for aura farming comes courtesy of a viral video of a boy dancing nonchalantly on a race boat. He's been held up online as an example of what it means to farm aura successfully − and his moves in the the video have inspired a viral dance trend as well.

More: Dating trends reached new lows this year. What are ‘throning,’ ‘Shrekking,’ 'Banksying’?

Jeff Hancock, the founding director of the Stanford Social Media Lab and a communication professor at Stanford University, says a key aspect of "aura" involves "cultivating a status or a mystique." Having aura isn't just about coolness in the traditional sense; it's about being mysterious, inscrutable and understated. "Ambiguity," Hancock adds, "is also really important."

Timothée Chalamet is oft cited as someone with aura. So is Frank Ocean. And Rihanna has been lauded a queen of aura.

Aura doesn't just belong to the stars of today either. In old black-and-white photos, James Dean and Greta Garbo certainly ooze aura too, Hancock says.

More: Stanford's Clay Patterson sacks Hawai'i QB, penalized for TikTok dance celebration

Similar to "aura farming," "clip farming" is doing things specifically to get attention and go viral. And like aura farming, it's not exactly new either.

Since the advent of TV and radio, public figures have concocted deliberate soundbites to stick out and persuade the public. "Clip farming" is basically the modern-day, TikTok version of that. It's doing or saying something, usually on camera, in order for it to become a moment that turns into a viral clip. As with "aura farming," it risks looking gauche − like a too obvious bid for attention.

What 'aura farming' and 'clip farming' say about us

So, why should anyone too old to be on their parents' health insurance care at all about aura and clip farming? Well, even if this slang doesn't belong to your generation, experts say it provides a window into the world shaping the next one.

Adam Aleksic, a linguist and the author of "Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language," says both terms borrow from video game vernacular. "Farming" in a video game involves doing things to earn experience points − and, ultimately, level up and become more powerful.

‘Throning’ is a heartbreaking new trend: Has social media ruined romance for Gen Z?

The fact that Gen Alpha and Gen Z are using video game speak to describe their real-life experiences shows just how interwoven their real world has become with the digital one, Aleksic says.

"There's a growing application of these video game language terms into regular speech," he says. "We've seen time and time again how a lot of baseball words reach the mainstream: 'right off the bat,' 'on deck,' stuff like that. The world of sports has always influenced the world of language. Now, video games are getting more culturally relevant, and we're starting to borrow more video game slang."

And, if these phrases make you feel out of touch, well, that's kind of the point.

Hancock says these ever-evolving phrases might make parents feel like their kids are speaking another language. "But they're not alone in feeling left out," he adds. "And that's on purpose."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Aura farming’ is Gen Alpha’s latest obsession. What is it?

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”