The English We Speak: Aura farming

Aura farming describes the intentional and repetitive behavior of posting content online to boost one's reputation, social standing, or "aura." This trend often involves individuals sharing curated images—such as artistic photos of coffee, staged pictures at expensive restaurants, or shots of good deeds—specifically to solicit likes, praise, and attention. Beyond social media, the concept extends to real-life actions intended to make a person appear cooler or more affluent, such as wearing sunglasses in the dark, posing with luxury cars that do not belong to them, or carrying sports equipment they cannot use. These actions are frequently referred to as attempts to earn "aura points," a metric for social coolness. While sometimes harmless, aura farming is often viewed as an obvious and occasionally embarrassing method of digital and social self-promotion used to manipulate how others perceive one's lifestyle and status.