Witches on TikTok have apparently tried to 'hex' the moon
According to this TikTok community, there's a bad moon on the rise.
Despite claims to the contrary, the moon is the same as it always is.
If you've ever swiped through your TikTok "For You" page and caught a glimpse of an ethereal looking person surrounded by candles, crystals or plants, chances are you've had a brush with WitchTok. With over two billion TikToks bearing the WitchTok hashtag, it's an increasingly popular corner of the internet. But as with all niche interests, some people take it too far.
WitchTok is now one of the farthest-reaching communities on TikTok -- spanning not just the globe, but now allegedly even the Milky Way. All because a small, anonymous contingent of beginner -- or "baby" -- witches claim they have, *checks notes*, hexed the moon.
On any other day, WitchTok centers mainly on witchcraft, manifestation, worship of various deities and astrology, celebrating all things magical via joke-based content and wholesome tips. Now, however? Mass anger and outrage.
Fellow WitchTok users have flocked to various social media platforms to talk about what happened and whether there's the potential for any fallout from the "incident," with the bulk of the wider community expressing frustration.
Twitter user @heyyadoraa posted a thread documenting what had happened for anyone not familiar with WitchTok and from there the story went, well... bonkers.
BASICALLY —
— jupiter ✿ (@heyyadoraa) July 19, 2020
in the past few days, a group of FRESH baby witches* decided to band together, and hex the fae. and then the moon. and they did!
(theyre now planning to hex the sun. too)
*inexperienced witches who should only be researching and doing protection work
WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
— jupiter ✿ (@heyyadoraa) July 19, 2020
well, for witches, the moon is integral to our work. most notably, it fuels spells and provides power. obviously you shouldnt ???? disrespect the moon??
Now, scientifically speaking, is the moon fine? Yes. Never in doubt. Even the bulk of WitchTok itself freely admits that the moon is fine. WitchTok user @thatonebluntwitch said in a TikTok, "I think they're more mad at the audacity of these idiots that would want to hex the moon or anything related to nature, because that's a sacred thing in witchcraft."
Sure, it's a fundamental aspect of something that WitchTokkers hold dear, so of course they're upset. Whether you believe in it or not, it's an understandable reaction. But as much as people may believe in the power of hexes and negative energy, the moon is the same as it always is -- and no amount of incantations or intentions will change that.
According to Dr. Alice Gorman, a senior lecturer in space archaeology at Flinders University, Australia, "In reality, you know the moon isn't going to fall out of the sky, tides aren't going to stop happening. It won't turn blue or green, but it does demonstrate that there are continually new ways that people find emotional connection to the moon."
Cultural and social belief has power, so if people are convinced that the apparent hexing may have an effect on their lives, it very well might -- not because their deities are angered or the moon is mad, but because of self-fulfilling prophecy and confirmation bias.
It's also important to remember that a lot of the allegations are anonymous and lacking in any evidence aside from a Reddit thread "calling out" four nameless baby witches, so add another grain of salt to the pile.
But if you're worried that the baby witches of TikTok have thrown something off with their hex, don't stress. 2020 has been challenging enough without adding an angry moon to it.