Witchcraft is popular right now. In fact, interest in occult spirituality has been on the rise for quite a few years — but it’s becoming more and more noticeable to the point that it’s attracting media coverage. From politicians accusing witches of hexing Donald Trump (we are), to the overwhelming number of witchy people on social media apps like TikTok, there is no doubt that witchcraft is going through a phase much like it did in the 1960s and 70s. So why are some people annoyed by the increasing popularity of witchcraft and the occult?

Change can be a good thing

Some people fear change — and they also fear getting older. That could be a reason behind some of the pushback newcomers to the craft are experiencing. The popularity of new technology, new apps, new lingo and new variations on old practices certainly makes some old school witches uncomfortable — which can be observed from a lot of the negative things said about so-called TikTok witches and young people who are new to witchcraft and occult spirituality. Some of these people tout their “old ways” while attempting to besmirch the names of young, enthusiastic witches who are trying to find their own places in the community. This is nothing new, of course. When I was a young witch in the 1990s, many witches from generations older than mine had a lot of negative things to say about using the internet in general. Social media was unheard of in these days, but we had chat rooms and message boards as well as specific websites focusing on witchcraft. A lot of these naysayers are now on the internet, and even make use of Facebook and other social media — but you can still find them nagging and complaining about young folks using TikTok and “giving their info to China” (sarcasm).

Time keeps moving forward, whether any of us like it or not. With the marching forward of time comes a whole lot of change. Just a couple hundred years ago, people like us — as well as totally innocent people who were merely accused of practicing witchcraft — were put to their death. Just 50 years ago witchcraft went through one of its first surges of mainstream popularity — not very long after the religion of Wicca was created. It’s now 2022, and many witches still live in secrecy to protect themselves — but the overall increased popularity of witchcraft is a good thing. The more openly we accept it, and the more people express legitimate interest in it, the more we — as witches — are able to evolve as a community. We are more than just Wiccans who read Silver Ravenwolf in the 90s. We are more than feminist witches who burned our bras in the 60s and 70s — and we are more than the modern young people who are changing how witchcraft is is perceived today. We’re all of these things — and more. The more time moves, the more thing will change — and therefore, the more we will all become. Is that too philosophical?

Don’t be a Cronish Karen

So what if you don’t like store-bought accessories? Who cares if you don’t like TikTok witches? What difference does it make if you dislike young people who “dabble” in the occult? You’re free to like or dislike anything you wish, but your likes and dislikes have no impact on the workings of the real world around us. Once upon a time we were young dabblers — and while many of us parted ways, many of us remain today as longtime witches. Some of these new people who are “dabbling” with witchcraft may very well be the next generation of experienced witches.

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