"With every interaction, an audible burst of sweetness emerges": when artificial intelligence engages in ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response)
The world of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) has expanded beyond its initial soft-spoken video roots, with TikTok being a recent platform to embrace this unique phenomenon. The trend on TikTok, centred around hypnotic sensory loops, has gained significant popularity, showcasing a range of content that some may find unusual or strange.
Valentina Tanni, an art historian and expert on digital media culture and the aesthetics of memes at John Cabot University in Rome, has commented on the evolution and diversity of ASMR content. In her recently translated book "Vibes Lore Core," she dedicates an intriguing chapter to ASMR videos, offering insights into their variety and sometimes peculiar nature.
The hypnotic sensory loops on TikTok ASMR channels often involve gentle whispering, tapping, crinkling sounds, or visual patterns designed to trigger the ASMR response. This response, colloquially known as a "brain orgasm," is a pleasurable tingling sensation that begins on the scalp and moves down the neck and spine, providing a unique pleasure that Tanni describes as intense and calming.
TikTok has amplified such sensory triggers within highly shareable, short-format videos, often blending creativity with an informal, personal style. Some of the most popular videos feature sensory triggers like the sound of a steel blade being placed on a crystal fruit and sliced, creating hyper-realistic cracks.
The diversity of ASMR content is a notable characteristic, as noted by Tanni. From the original whispering videos to more modern content that some may find strange, such as videos of people cleaning guns, painting with their saliva, or acting out absurd scenarios involving lobotomies or contagious diseases in the Middle Ages, the range of ASMR content is vast and ever-evolving.
The popularity of ASMR has led to the creation of countless genres of ASMR content, with TikTok serving as a platform for these trends to flourish. Valentina Tanni's observations highlight the evolution and expansion of ASMR content, providing a fascinating look into this unique internet phenomenon.
Technology has played a significant role in the popularization of ASMR content, with social-media platforms like TikTok becoming key disseminators of this sensory phenomenon. Entertainment in the form of ASMR videos on TikTok is increasingly diverse, encompassing a wide range of unusual and strange content that caters to varying tastes.
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