The phrase “aura points” has bubbled up through all ends of the internet. Within the span of a few short weeks, the term has become commonplace in videos on TikTok and in comment sections.
TikTok’s ‘aura points’ system, explained
I will, unfortunately, lose aura points for writing this
Graphic: Polygon | Source Images: Securethabag.mel, Baconwithsyruppp, Witul_aura/TikTok
Ana Diaz (she/her) is a culture writer at Polygon, covering internet culture, fandom, and video games. Her work has previously appeared at NPR, Wired, and The Verge.
You might see people tally their aura points or ask strangers how many points they lost from something like, say, talking to an ex-boyfriend.
In a long line of ever-developing internet lingo, it can be hard to keep up with every trend. It feels like only yesterday people were singing about being “so skibidi.” So if you are wondering what the deal is, here is the full rundown on the aura points trend and what it means.
What does ‘aura points’ mean?
In short, aura points are a lighthearted way to measure how cool someone is. Each action a person does in life can either increase or decrease their overall aura points based on the judgment of the person giving the points.
Did you fail to greet a friend confidently? You lose 1,523 points. Bump into a light on the sidewalk? That’s a loss of 634 aura points, according to one video. On the flip side, walking to school in new shoes will increase your score with a hefty 2,000 aura points.
It’s just a popular joke online. There’s nothing much more to it than that. Some people will track their aura points over time as a running gag, but it’s mainly just a way to talk about how confident and cool a person is.
The term aura was likely popularized within basketball and soccer communities on X, according to Know Your Meme, since people would compliment certain athletics for their “aura.” However, people started quantifying it on TikTok, and thus the new system was born.
So, if you’re looking for a way to up your aura points, I would suggest something like playing Fortnite. I imagine winning a Victory Royale would give you at least… 5,115 aura points.
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