The Sorcery of Likes: Modern Witches and the Commodification of the Wild Woman Aesthetic on Social Media.

International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 13 Special Issue October 2025 Received: 3 October 2025 12 Revised: 5 October 2025 Accepted: 8 October 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17349134 The Sorcery of Likes: Modern Witches and the Commodification of the Wild Woman Aesthetic on Social Media. Ms.Anjana S Independent Researcher ABSTRACT The infamous witch hunts preyed on women who exhibited a sense of freedom that far exceeded the expected normalcy and were portrayed as „hysterical‟ women who were assertive and emotionally unstable. The modern women who could not be subdued into their desired roles mimic the trend of the wild women aesthetic of barefooted, trope-defying women promoting a life of rituals, healing mantras, and a popular, merchandisable lifestyle. The advent of different social media platforms has seen women carving out a relatively safe space for them to let their inner “witch-selves” run free. Such portrayals of women always show them as a higher feminine self, a holistic spiritual healer, and such.The paper explores the cultural phenomena at work that envision these “content” creators or “influencers” as the mascots and forerunners of the Witches in the digital world, and exemplifies the formula of commodification of their aesthetic lifestyles to a wide, expanding audience. The commercialisation of the "wild woman" aesthetic on Instagram reveals a complex interplay between modern witchcraft, femininity, and consumer culture, raising questions about the impact of social media on traditional spiritual communities and the potential dilution of social justice themes for commercial gain. Keywords: modern witches, witch hunt, digital spiritualism, commodification, wild woman aesthetic Introduction The infamous witch hunts, which were the direct reflections of the blatant political and social inequalities between the genders, paint a very dark picture of a time when a painstakingly structured subjugation of one of the social groups was underway, precisely that of those who chose a different lifestyle that stood against the existing societal norms. However, a general International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 13 Special Issue October 2025 Received: 3 October 2025 13 Revised: 5 October 2025 Accepted: 8 October 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17349134 analysis of available history would help us decipher the pattern that existed, which specifically targeted women-spinsters, widows, and those women who lived on the margins of society, exploring alternative lifestyles and occupations. As discussed in Lewd Women and Wicked Witches: A Study of the Dynamics of Male Domination, “actual witch-hunting relied on peasant beliefs, but could not have occurred without the intervention of the upper echelons of society” (Hester 131). An analysis of the mass hysteria fright in Europe in the seventeenth century enlightens us on the foundational belief systems of a society that were outlined by continuous misdiagnoses, conscious defamations, political rivalry, and games of revenge between social groups. The infamous Salem witch trials of 1692 not only highlight the extent of social brutality against women but also the powerful subduing of any voice that was raised against it. The witch hunts were not just a fleeting incident brought about by misinformation alone; it was one curated with careful precision by weaving out a narrative to fit in the issues of the current times, while carefully weeding out the underprivileged. A study of these historical massacres, in turn, lets us understand the underlying strength of these narratives associated with witch hunts. It lets us see how “the witch-hunts entailed the prosecution, imprisonment and execution of thousands of people, almost exclusively women, in England alone. Not only were the vast majority of the accused women, but they tended to be a particular group of women: age, marital status, kin relation to other „witches‟, economic status, liaison with the Devil, and sexual „deviance‟ all being important factors” (Hester 3). However, over the years, the perspective lens has shifted from the perpetrator to that of the victims. In contemporary society, the term "witch-hunt" is often used to describe perceived bias, procedural unfairness, and paranoia in various contexts, including criminal investigations and political discourse (Acevedo 1). The phenomenal change that has been brought about by the rise in feminist readings is that the image of the victims that is repeatedly discussed and the one that has taken precedence even in modern times is that of a woman who does not have to be pitied, but one who is to be avenged by all future generations of women. The solidarity hence achieved over the years has given rise to a new meaning to the term „witch,‟ along with a collective exploration into the history of witch hunts. A witch in the modern sense is, however, more multifaceted and in many ways more powerful than International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 13 Special Issue October 2025 Received: 3 October 2025 14 Revised: 5 October 2025 Accepted: 8 October 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17349134 the innocent victims of earlier times. Witches or witch personas have begun to manifest in the heavily commercialised spaces of social media, like on Instagram, promoting a lifestyle that is reminiscent of the old folklore narrative, but somehow detached from the trauma associated with its history. The wild woman aesthetic that these „Instagram witches‟ have commodified is almost suggestive of a new era of digital religion and virtual spirituality. As stated in “Consuming the Self: New Spirituality as „Mystified Consumption,” this new religiosity is nothing but an expression of the current society that has undergone commoditization to satisfy the existing top trend to form a sort of “mystified consumption” (Dawson, “Consuming”). New spirituality, says Janusz Mariański, “is sometimes perceived as a search for a certain moral perfection embodied in moral principles. New spirituality understood in this way becomes an ethical category, which organises secular principles relating to values which give meaning to life” (Marianski, “New Spirituality” 71). The Witch hunts, both past as well as modern ones, were mostly fueled on a societal level by the powers of patriarchy that have been deep-rooted in all belief systems to date. It was the rising waves of feminism that first brought to light the extent of inhumanity that was at play in the form of doctrines, dogmas, and ideologies. It was the feminist movement that first lent voice to the said witches and even led to the open discussion of those branded as witches and burned alive at the stake. The feminist movement succeeded in unveiling a perspective that was never before considereda chance to narrate their side of the story, even when the “female suffrage speakers were caricatured as „unwomanly‟, and subjected to a subtle process of „role stripping‟”(Rosamund 663). The witches that were tagged as evil perpetrators till then soon began to be unearthed as victims of an unjust and baseless social system that only worked to create a social order based on fear, intimidation, segregation, and inequality. The idea of a witch over the years has assumed such varied stipulations that it can only be concluded that a witch is not someone encompassing one set of characteristics, but rather one encompassing multitudes within. As seen in the chapter “Witch: A Feminist Memory,” it has always been difficult to define the term witch in singular terms because of her status as a historical, literary, mythological, and mnemonic figure: she exists at the intersection of multiple modes of knowledge and culture. International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 13 Special Issue October 2025 Received: 3 October 2025 15 Revised: 5 October 2025 Accepted: 8 October 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17349134 And, just to complicate the matter further, being called a witch has historically been a death sentence: it has been an identity imposed on others but not necessarily taken up voluntarily until relatively recently (B. Kosmina 1). Today‟s hyper-realistic world of social media, acting as a broader representative of pop culture, accentuates women‟s lives through the feminist lens as one where feminist ideologies are mixed with “the cultural memories of the witch,” which continue to thrive almost as a response to a deep-seated feminist rage continuing down the generations of wronged women (B. Kosmina 2). The rise of feminism and feminist ideologies, especially in modern times, saw the use of the figure of a witch in a wide variety of connotations. However, as Ms. Kosmina points out in her work, “No matter how vehement the feminist reclamation of the term, there is still a vulnerability to patriarchal violence that comes with being called a witch, particularly for people who experience multiple intersections of oppression” (B. Kosmina 5). She outlines how the representations of a witch have become a “mechanic for feminist memory practices” (5). This image of the pitiful victim or one of derogatory connotations is what is being challenged by the modern witches on Instagram by propagating the same rituals, motifs, and merchandise that were once shunned. As specified in Gyn/Ecology: The Metaethics of Radical Feminism by Mary Daly, witches with their spiritual, economic, and physical independence and competence have seriously “threatened the male monopoly in every sphere” (Daly 194). Hence, it is of absolute certainty that one can assume that the past narratives surrounding the witch hunts have “indelibly shaped the symbol and its deployment through activist movements, political rhetoric, and popular culture” (B. Kosmina 8). The narrative of witches proved to be a highly inflammable additive to the raging fire of feminism that was widely spreading around the world, with women like Virginia Woolf and Simone De Beauvoir at its helm, fanning the flames. Feminism as a movement can be traced along different routes in history, widely categorised into the distinct approaches of radical and revolutionary methods. But surprisingly, “both radical and revolutionary feminists take women‟s experience as the starting point of their analyses” (Hester 6). Alarmingly, the experience of women from the years of the inhuman witch hunts to the modern-day scenarios is marked by a sense of being watched and hunted. International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 13 Special Issue October 2025 Received: 3 October 2025 16 Revised: 5 October 2025 Accepted: 8 October 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17349134 The records of the witch hunts offered the feminists the much-needed proof and incentive of how the voice of resistance and difference was met with the violence of extreme macabre. As surmised in the work of Brydie Kosmina, “The witch serves as a useful metaphor for Beauvoir and for Woolf, embodying a historical symbol of how women who do not conform to patriarchal definitions of femininity are rendered as villains” (12). The generational trauma of being unlawfully accused and being meticulously executed has permeated the psyche of being a woman. The hanged and burned witches did not have an ally in the masses to listen to their side of the story. History has been kind, however, in preserving their truth and voice. A voice that somehow enlightens us on the characteristics assumed by modern-day witches and lets us discern how they, too, are bullied, ridiculed, and alienated for choosing a path away from the norm. While the “witchhunts may be seen as an instance of sexual violence against women, relying on sexual constructs of masculinity and especially femininity,” in the historical arena (Hester 4), the current posthuman reality posits modern-day witch hunts as an instance of power-play, but not that which stems from societal glory or acceptance but rather one that festers in anonymity in the unseen corners of the internet. In open defiance of the rules of patriarchy and in quiet collaboration with women from different parts of the world, the modern-day witches are women who flamboyantly embody the „wild-woman‟ archetype and the associated aesthetic lifestyle, celebrating it in the widely accessible spaces of social media as the long-lost true essence of womanhood. The commercialisation of the "wild woman" aesthetic on Instagram reveals a complex interplay between modern witchcraft, femininity, and consumer culture, highlighting tensions between authentic spiritual practices and marketable lifestyles while raising questions about the impact of social media on traditional spiritual communities and the potential dilution of social justice themes for commercial gain. Materials and methods The research employs a qualitative approach to investigate the commodification of the wild woman aesthetic within the online platform Instagram. “Wildlife and the Wild Woman are both endangered species,” states Dr Clarisa Pincola Estes in the introduction to her renowned book Women Who Run With The Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype. International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 13 Special Issue October 2025 Received: 3 October 2025 17 Revised: 5 October 2025 Accepted: 8 October 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17349134 Dr Estes goes on to say how wildish women, like many wild creatures such as wolves, coyotes, etc, are “erroneously reputed to be ingracious, wholly and innately dangerous, and ravenous” (10). This narrative of the wild woman, which speaks of someone who lives in accordance with nature in almost rhythmic serendipity, is reminiscent of the age-old folktales of witches as wise, mysterious women living on the outskirts of the forest, represented as deeply knowledgeable about Indigenous methods of healing and medicines not privy to the general public. According to Dr Estes, “Wild Woman as an archetype is an inimitable and ineffable force which carries a bounty of ideas, images, and particularities for humankind. According to her, 'archetype exists everywhere and yet is not seeable in the usual sense” (26). The wild woman/ the witch are all semantically similar in the derogatory association that they still hold in vernacular language. However, it has undergone spectacular changes with respect to the current trends and the extreme tendencies of the growing digital culture, which now holds the meaning of one who is „bold and even powerful.‟The narrative further places the wild woman/witches in a position to empower and hold safe spaces for other women to unleash their suppressed wildness as well. The wild woman archetype can be explicitly seen in the historical pandemic of Hysteria and the witch hunts that ensued in Europe. This eerie episode in history proves that whatever was found mysterious and wild in women was immediately stigmatised and converted into a medically diagnosable illness by the patriarchal system and its pawns. Through digital ethnography, the study will examine how modern-day self-identified witches or those projecting a life of the wild woman archetype curate and portray their identity online. This narrative of the modern-day embodiment of the witch self as seen in today‟s hyperrealistic world of social media, dictated by algorithms and leading trends, can be considered as the acceptance of the innate wild self within all women. The research posits the observation that this self, which has been suppressed deep within the female psyche owing to long years of conscious physical, mental, and psychological subjugation by the powers of the various patriarchal institutions, is being reclaimed in the current age. This is evident in the newfound virility of the archetype of witches in the digital culture. The social media pages run by real-life postmodern witch personas alone could stand as a testament to the newfound International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 13 Special Issue October 2025 Received: 3 October 2025 18 Revised: 5 October 2025 Accepted: 8 October 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17349134 freedom in reclaiming the female lineage of witches and their powers. As Ms Kosmina states in her work, “The monstrous witch becomes a figure of camp, queer, or feminist rage, and with that anger, these witches destroy patriarchal institutions, opening up space for a negative utopian vision of the future. This monstrous utopianism is iconoclastic: it does not lay out a roadmap to utopia, but instead offers space for an unclear feminist future (B. Kosmina 252).” The roadmap thus laid, however has certain unclear loopholes, the unforeseen commodification of these lifestyles being one. An alternate lifestyle embodying the wild woman aesthetic, publicised as one rooted in nature and natural methods, claims to help in the holistic development of men. It predominantly showcases a life that is virtually different from the mundane pressures of corporate city life, and that is the luring commodity that the social media platforms of the said modern-day witches profess through their pages. The alternate lifestyle so displayed is seemingly set apart from the social and cultural dogmas of the current times, showing a conscious abandonment of the existing dehumanising structures of society. Most of these enterprises indeed cater to certain sections of societythe average working man who is in turn trying to break free from the hum-drum of the 9-5 mundanity of the current commercial worlda world where everything is labelled and seemingly a luxury that often seems unattainable. The pagan world of slow mornings, silent prayers, dance in the rain, ritual cleansing ceremonies, communal sessions, etc., emanates an aura of ease that they so desire. Analysis of existing research on mediatizations and publicizing of modern-day paganism conducted on a select group of real-life modern witches, such as the Estonian witches who consult the spirit world upon demand from „seekers‟ specifically shed light on the different facets of the growing trend of digital religion and how “ sociality afforded by social media as well as the features, functions, and limitations of social media platforms shape the mediatization of neo-Pagan practices, significantly transforming them in the process” (Renser “Witches on”). However, the current research focuses on those personas on the platform of Instagram, wherein the linchpin is the presentation of an alluring way of life marked by the use of methods and things that are at once realistic, nostalgic, and exotic. The wild woman aesthetic under consideration is commodified as a novel luxury, privy to those who cater to International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 13 Special Issue October 2025 Received: 3 October 2025 19 Revised: 5 October 2025 Accepted: 8 October 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17349134 the demands of these Instagram personas, who often lead lives as entrepreneurs on the side. The variety of services offered by these online witch personas often includes personal consultancy, mentoring, spiritual gurus, and product manufacturing. Their online presence evolving into a growing business is suggestive of the new-age witches taking advantage of the people of a digital culture who are deprived of real human connections and disconnected from the world around them. The offer of a realistic and extreme lifestyle promises them the much-coveted chance to experience a sense of freedom and opportunities to venture into the unknown. The marketing of this much sought-after commodity is done in the most ingenious of ways. The pages on Instagram curated to play by the algorithmic rules of the platform often begin as a documentation of this new lifestyle, which, upon gaining some traction, was soon used as a platform to launch their unique set of merchandise, holistic health care, and a sense of clarity that they project as ideal. A purposive sampling technique will be employed, selecting Instagram profiles that actively engage with hashtags such as #WildWoman and #ModernWitch. The aim is to analyse how influencers and users integrate symbolism, text, and visual elements into their content, contributing to the commodification of a oncecountercultural persona. The research intends to uncover trends in aesthetic, language, and engagement metrics that reflect the commercialisation of this archetype. The data analysis will proceed through thematic and semiotic analysis. Themes like „authenticity,‟ and‟ spiritual branding‟ will guide an exploration of how the new aesthetic is marketed and perceived by audiences. The semiotic analysis, on the other hand, will focus on the visual and symbolic aspects, identifying elements such as mystical symbols, natural landscapes, mythical artefacts on display, etc. Ethical considerations, including respecting privacy and addressing potential biases, will be central to conducting a responsible and nuanced examination of this digital subculture. Table 1, Data collected from Instagram Profiles International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 13 Special Issue October 2025 Received: 3 October 2025 20 Revised: 5 October 2025 Accepted: 8 October 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17349134 Post ID Username Hashtags Used Caption Summary Visual Elements Themes/Codes Identified Engagement Metrics 001 wild_witch_lu na #WildWoman, #ModernWitch, #NatureMagic Discusses reconnecting with nature and selfempowerment through “wild” identity. Natural landscapes, earthy tones, pagan symbols Authenticity, natural mystique, empowerment 520 likes, 45 comments 002 earthandspirit #SacredFeminine, #MysticLife Promotes a candle line claiming to “connect with inner wildness.” Dark, moody lighting; candles; animal motifs Commodificati on, spiritual branding 1,200 likes, 75 comments 003 mystic_mama_ 7 #WildSoul, #WitchyAesthetic , #Empowerment Reflects on journey as a “wild soul” finding selflove. Monochrome outfit, tribal jewellery, forest background Selfempowerment, authenticity, identity 320 likes, 22 comments 004 lunar_luxe #WitchyWoman, #InnerGoddess, #SelfLove Markets crystal jewellery as part of “awakening the inner goddess.” Crystals, soft pastels, and model posing with crystals Commodificati on, empowerment, mystique 890 likes, 66 comments