#public sphere

Gen Z is mourning the un-filtered public sphere of 2014 Tumblr

If you’ve spent any time on TikTok over the past few years, chances are you’ve stumbled into the wistful world of 2014-2016 nostalgia. ‘Tumblr Girls’ by G-Eazy is trending again, King Kylie era with jet-black nails and electric blue hair photos, Lana Del Rey’s Born to Die and Ultraviolence lyrics dripping with melancholy, the glorification of cigarettes and poetic sadness, and those moody GIFs of brooding white girls paired with angst captions about how life is just one big existential crisis.

It’s a full-blown revival of Tumblr’s golden age, when this aesthetic reigned supreme, and Gen Z has welcomed it back like a long-lost comfort blanket. Case in point: a girl doing a cover of Sky Ferreira’s Everything is Embarrassing, with messy hair and off-the-shoulder flannel look, sent the comments spiraling into a collective wave of 2014 Tumblr nostalgia (@reme, 2025).

As of 2021, on TikTok, the hashtag #2014tumblr boasts 83.9 million views, while its counterpart #tumblr2014 has garnered 51.9 million views (Navlakha, 2021). But what does this resurgence mean for a generation raised on fast-paced TikToks and Snapchat notifications? And what does it have to do with the public sphere of Tumblr?

Tumblr as a Public Sphere

Jürgen Habermas’ concept of the public sphere describes a space where individuals gather to exchange ideas outside traditional power structures (Çela, 2015, p. 195). While social media platforms often claim to foster such spaces, their algorithm-driven nature frequently distorts participation, privileging virality over authenticity (Yin, 2024, p. 10-14). This creates a tension between the ideals of a public sphere and the realities of social media's algorithmic governance (Dahlberg, 2007, p. 52)​. Social media platforms grapple with the challenge of distinguishing genuine user profiles from counterfeit accounts (Mahammed et al., 2023, p. 1).

In contrast, Tumblr operated as a counterpublic, a concept described by Warner (2002) as an alternative space where marginalized groups construct their own discourses outside dominant institutions. Byron et al. (2019, p. 2242) apply this idea to Tumblr, highlighting how queer youth used the platform for identity exploration and indirect yet meaningful connections. Tumblr thrived as a platform where users did not need verification badges or massive followings to have a voice; instead, all that was required was internet access and a willingness to share unfiltered thoughts. Unlike social media sites such as Twitter or Instagram, which often prioritize personal branding and follower counts, Tumblr fostered a culture of anonymity and authenticity, allowing individuals to engage without revealing their real identities.

For many LGBTQIA+ users, Tumblr wasn’t just a blogging site—it was a lifeline. Queer youth engaged with the platform far more than other social media, finding a space for identity exploration and connection (Robards & Byron, 2017). According to Byron et al. (2019, p. 2242), young LGBTQIA+ used Tumblr to navigate their identities, often in ways that were indirect and anonymous yet profoundly meaningful​. Unlike Instagram or TikTok, where visibility depends on engagement metrics, Tumblr enabled queer self-expression without the pressure of personal branding. The platform’s unfiltered, pseudonymous culture allowed young people to explore gender, sexuality, and mental health in ways that mainstream social media often stigmatized or ignored.

The Politics of Aesthetic and Self-Expression

The 2014 Tumblr aesthetic isn’t just about nostalgia—it’s a whole mood, a rebellion, and a contradiction all at once. It was a space where people rejected the glossy perfection of Instagram and Facebook, opting instead for something raw, messy, and deeply personal. But here’s the thing: even rebellion has its own aesthetic rules. Tumblr’s vibe might have been anti-mainstream, but it still had a way of shaping how people expressed themselves.

Take the #bodypositive movement, for example. At first, Tumblr was the go-to place for people who wanted to push back against traditional beauty standards. It gave users—especially marginalized ones—a space to celebrate diverse bodies, challenge unrealistic ideals, and embrace self-love in ways that mainstream media didn’t allow. But, as Reif et al. (2022, p. 5-6) point out, even in this “empowering” space, certain aesthetics started taking over. A lot of the content still followed a specific look—filtered but “effortless,” curated but “authentic.” So while Tumblr helped redefine beauty, it also reinforced new versions of what was acceptable​.

And that’s exactly the paradox of the 2014 Tumblr aesthetic itself. It was all about being different, but in a way that still fit a certain visual and emotional mold. The black-and-white photos of girls smoking in oversized sweaters, in wired earphones listening to Arctic Monkey, cryptic text posts about sadness—these weren’t just random; they became an entire brand. As Goldberg (2022) notes, Tumblr had a way of romanticizing self-destruction. It made heartbreak poetic. It turned depression into an aesthetic. It blurred the line between genuine self-expression and performance.

This whole push-and-pull dynamic also played out in the way people curated their identities online. As Byron et al., (2019, p. 2246) explain, even in supposedly free and unfiltered spaces like Tumblr, certain norms always emerge​. People were crafting their own personas through carefully chosen images, quotes, and blog themes, but they were still following an unspoken rulebook.

Final thoughts

Today, Gen Z is attempting to reclaim that balance, by recreating Tumblr’s unpolished aesthetics on TikTok while navigating a vastly different digital landscape. In a way, this nostalgia is an act of rebellion against the hyper-curated, brand-saturated digital spaces we’ve grown used to. The irony, of course, is that Tumblr’s once-anonymous culture is now mediated through platforms that prioritize personal branding. Yet the fact that users are reviving this era suggests a persistent desire for a public sphere where self-expression isn’t dictated by corporate algorithms.

References:

@reme. (2025). everything is embarrassing. TikTok. https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSM8fg1Qf/

Byron, P., Robards, B., Hanckel, B., Vivienne, S., & Churchill, B. (2019). “Hey, I’m Having These Experiences”: Tumblr Use and Young People’s Queer (Dis)connections. International Journal of Communication, 13, 2242. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338593649_Hey_I

Çela, E. (2015). Social Media as a New Form of Public Sphere. European Journal of Social Sciences Education and Research, 4(1), 195. https://doi.org/10.26417/ejser.v4i1.p195-200

Dahlberg, L. (2007). The Internet, deliberative democracy, and power: Radicalizing the public sphere. International Journal of Media & Cultural Politics, 3(1), 52. https://doi.org/10.1386/macp.3.1.47_1

Goldberg, A. (2022, February 2). What the Return of 2014 Tumblr Means For Body Image. Teen Vogue. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/what-the-return-of-2014-tumblr-means-for-body-image

Mahammed, N., Klouche, B., Saidi, I., Khaldi, M., & Fahsi, M. (2023). Bio-inspired algorithms for effective social media profile authenticity verification (p. 1). https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3694/paper13.pdf

Navlakha, M. (2021, October 26). TikTok is reviving the 2014 Tumblr-era aesthetic. Mashable SEA | Latest Entertainment & Trending . https://sea.mashable.com/life/18022/tiktok-is-reviving-the-2014-tumblr-era-aesthetic

Reif, A., Miller, I., & Taddicken, M. (2022). “Love the Skin You‘re In”: An Analysis of Women’s Self-Presentation and User Reactions to Selfies Using the Tumblr Hashtag #bodypositive. Mass Communication and Society, 26(6), 5–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2022.2138442

Robards, B., & Byron, P. (2017, May 29). There’s something queer about Tumblr. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/theres-something-queer-about-tumblr-73520

Warner, M. (2021). Publics and Counterpublics. Zone Book. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv1qgnqj8

--Kant, "Orienting Oneself In Thinking"

“Songall Says He Is Badly Hurt, Doctor Says ‘Bruised a Little’,” Border Cities Star. July 25, 1931. Page 05. —- Demands from two organizations have been made on the Sandwich East Township Council that a public and not private, hearing be held into the part that Chief of Police Cachoy played in the recent eviction of Karl Songall from his home at 1516 Alexi Road, The Star is informed today.

Letters have been filed by the Remington Park and the Sandwich East Citizens’ associations with Wilfred Gravel, township clerk, urging that the council abandon its plan to hold the probe in camera, and to thresh out the charges against the police chief before the ratepayers of the municipality.

Cachoy admits striking Songall with his baton, but both he and officers of the sheriff’s department content that force was necessary to subdue the householder when he became violent after the officers had started to take the furniture out of his home a week ago Friday. The eviction order was obtained by Harry Parent, of 50 Alexander avenue, owner of the house after Songall became several months behind in his purchase payments.

The letters asking for a public enquiry were given to the township clerk by Fred Gould and George Wright, vice-president and secretary, respectively, of the Remington Park body and Patrik Kearns a member of the executive. That move was made, they said, ‘to make sure that the letters reached their destination.’

Thomas Dingwall is president of the Sandwich East association, while George Lesperance heads the Remington Park citizens.

It was also intimated today that a ‘police committee’ of one of the organizations is now securing information on the township police administration and that more serious charges than those involved in the Songall case may be laid. The Attorney-General’s Department it is stated may be asked to launch a judicial probe.

Mr. Songall, who has since quit his home and is now renting a house at 1544 Alexis Road, claimed this morning that he is unable to work on account of injuries inflicted during his arrest by Chief Cachoy and County Constable ibb. He wants to cut hay for feed for his cow, he stated, but finds he is not equal to the task.

He is suffering from pains in his chest, Songall declared, displaying where a physician had taped his body.

He alleges that after he fell down while Chief Cachoy was trying to handcuff him, Gibb ‘jumped’ on him and knelt on his chest with considerable force while the police bracelets were snapped around his wrists.

Queried by The Star today, Dr. E. R. Miller, of 815 Tecumseh Road East, who attended the man, said that Songall is ‘bruised up a little bit,’ and that his hurts are minor.

Songall claims that the house owner, Parent, ordered this week to accept $15 a month rent on the purchase price after refusing two payments of $25 and $30, a few months ago. He turned down the officer, the evicted suburbanite explained, because he had already arranged to rent another house.

Photo Caption: WITNESS AT POLICE PROBE KARL SONGALL of 1544 Alexis Road, pictured above, will be the star witness at the Sandwich East Township Council prove into charges that the man was clubbed and badly mistreated by police a week ago when he was being evicted from a suburban home on a court order, for arrears in purchase payments. Chief Cachoy, of Sandwich East, and County Constable Gibb are the officers involved. Songall has his chest taped in the place where he claims that Gibb knelt on him.

Social Media is known to establish trends; dances, food, photography. In particular, social media is a catalyst for new fashion trends. The ability for an influencer to post a photo in a particular outfit, and simultaneously compel their followers to buy similar outfits or clothing from that brand is a testament to the power of social media within modern society. However, with this power, comes great responsibility, and unfortunately, this responsibility has been lacking within recent years. Whilst influencers are great at setting trends and influencing the decisions, opinions and purchasing habits of consumers, regarding fashion and clothing, these influencers are less effective at ensuring the promotion of sustainable and ethical fashion. 

Sustainable fashion refers to those ‘goods and services that respond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life, while minimizing the use of natural resources, toxic materials and emissions of waste and pollutants over the life-cycle, so as not to jeopardize the needs of future generations’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 83). Generally, sustainable fashion rejects the unethical nature of fast fashion, denouncing the ‘throw away attitude’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 82) of ‘mass-produced’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 82 ) and ‘cheap’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 82) clothing. Sustainable fashion promotes the use of ethically sourced materials and production of clothing in an effort to limit the amount of textile waste that the fashion industry produces. 

There have been huge efforts of recent years within the fashion industry to reform unethical and unsustainable productions and manufacturing. Brands such as H&M, Nike, Adidas and Levis are leading the charge in sourcing sustainable materials for their products and innovating new and ethical forms of production. Despite this, the benefits of sustainable fashion are still significantly threatened by social media and the relationship between influencers and fast-fashion. 

Lai identified that whilst consumers generally understand and agree that the fashion industry needs to ‘change’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 88) and ‘become more environmentally and socially responsible’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 88), they have little ‘awareness’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 88) about the sustainable fashion movement. Moreover, whilst consumers generally associate sustainable fashion with ‘natural’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 89), ‘simple’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 89) and ‘locally made’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 89) clothing, the lack of ‘awareness’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 88) about what the movement is trying to achieve leads these consumers to develop negative ‘perceptions and attitudes’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 88) towards it. 

The lack of awareness surrounding the sustainable fashion movement can be correlated with the impact of influencers and fast fashion on social media. Many consumers buy clothing based on what their favourite influencers are wearing. Unfortunately, however, many influencers do not actively seek to post about sustainable fashion. As influencers can directly influence the purchasing habits of their followers, posting paid sponsorships with fast fashion companies also directly compels these followers to become consumers of fast fashion. 

Moreover, through influencers not actively getting involved in the sustainable fashion movement, negative ‘perceptions and attitudes’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 88) towards the movement are encouraged. These perceptions include that sustainable fashion is ‘less fashionable’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 92) than its ‘fast fashion counterparts’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 92), and that sustainable fashion is ‘too expensive’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 91). Through the proliferation of these perceptions, the sustainable fashion movement’s main objectives are forgotten, and it becomes more difficult to hold the fashion industry accountable for its large contributions to the environmental crisis. 

Despite this, there is still hope. Influencers can take responsibility on their platforms to inform and compel their audiences to choose sustainable fashion over fast fashion. Through doing so, the demand for fast fashion will slowly decrease, and so will the need for the unethical production of ‘mass-produced’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 82) and ‘cheap’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 82) clothing, that only purports a ‘throw away’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 82) culture. 

References:

Zhen Lai, Claudia E. Henninger and Panayiota J. Alevizou ‘An Exploration of Consumers’ Perceptions Towards Sustainable Fashion – A Qualitative Study in the UK’, in Sustainability in Fashion A Cradle to Upcycle Approach, edited by Henninger, C.E., Alevizou, P., Goworek, H., Ryding, D. (Palgrave: 2017).

Reality TV being the poorest favoured genre of TV surprised me. Especially considering how I'm always hearing my friends rave about the new season of Love Island or The Bachelor....

The impact that social media has had on reality TV really changes the spoke of things. Social media now allows social stars to actually pursue it as a career post-filming, where they become a TV personality. Examples include Chrissie Swan who started out on Big Brother whom is now a radio and TV star. Also Abbie Chatfield who was runner up on The Bachelor who then competed on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here. Hmmm... some celebrity right? 🤔

Love Island has increasingly more views that its competitor dating shows as it effectively allows for audience participation. The audience is able to choose the winning couple of the show after closely following along throughout the season. The producers were able to make the feedback loop quite short by curating special content for the show's own social media, as well as using the contestants platforms to promote the show (L'Hoiry, 2019).

In 2018, Love Island UK wrapped up 6.3 million tweets with 6.5 billion impressions which doubled its competitor in its short 8 weeks of running (L'Hoiry, 2019). 😳

The appeal of reality TV is often audiences being able to relate to the contestants. As contestants are usually everyday people, it often might give the audience a glimmer of hope that they be able to star in the next season. A real shot of fame. This then encourages audiences to study the show as it may then make them a viable contender for the next season.

Overall, recent reality TV really utilises social media which then transforms it into a digital community. The audience is engaged with contestants which then promotes discussions of the show online, therefore promoting it.

References