Doomer

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The following article contains and discusses content that may be distressing to some readers.
Reason for Warning: This page discusses themes of depression and nihilism, which some readers may find distressing. Reader discretion is advised.

Doomer
"Are you sure we were better off before?"
Other names	Doomerwave
Decade of origin	Late 2010s
Creator/s	4chan's /r9k/ board
Key motifs	Decaying places, urbanism, gloomy filters, devastated warzones, Wojak characters
Key colours	Navy blue, black, purple, gray
Key values	Nihilism, alienation, pessimism, loneliness, despair, pacifism
Related aesthetics	After Hours Brutalism Industrial Decay Lo-Fi Midwest Emo Post-Apocalyptic Post-Punk Sadpeople Shoegaze Sovietwave Urbancore Vaporwave

Doomer represents an internet subculture characterized by a pessimistic and nihilistic perspective on global issues. These issues include overpopulation, resource depletion, climate change, ecological degradation, nuclear proliferation, and the impact of advanced artificial intelligence. The term, and the associated concept of "doomerism," originated on social media platforms; initially Peaknik communities, later spreading to 4chan. Individuals identifying as doomers express a belief in the potential for human extinction resulting from these problems. The subculture's views align with Malthusian economic philosophy, which posits that resource consumption will exceed resource availability, leading to societal collapse. The doomer identity is not defined by age or demographic factors, but by a shared sense of hopelessness regarding contemporary challenges.

The aesthetic component, sometimes referred to as Doomerwave, typically incorporates imagery of urban settings in Eastern Europe, specifically Brutalist architecture and Khrushchevka buildings. These visuals are often modified with filters that simulate aged media, and are set to music genres such as post-punk, synthpop, synthwave, and shoegaze. The Doomer character, a Wojak meme originating on 4chan, serves as a visual representation of this outlook. This character is depicted as an adult male experiencing depression and substance dependence. The aesthetic also includes anti-war themes, particularly related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, through images of war-damaged locations.

Visuals

Some visuals prominent in the Doomer aesthetic include:

• Decaying urban places in Eastern Europe (usually Khrushchevka buildings)
• Depictions of lifeless, devastated and war-torn places
• Phrases relating to nihilism and depression
• Glitch effects
• VHS tape filters
• Gloomy color filters
• A sense of nihilism, pessimism and existential dread
• A sense of isolation and disconnection from the outside world and other people
• The Doomer Wojak character

Philosophy

Doomer is not only a subculture but also a global general way of thinking. In fact, the term "Doomer" was used as early as 2008 by the Peaknik community, which essentially consists of people who believe in the Peak Oil conspiracy theory. Later, exactly one decade later, in 2018, various 4chan users started making Wojak memes out of various characters ending in "-oomer" (referencing the term "boomer"). Among them, there was a character called "The Doomer", which gained traction on social media platforms due to its melancholic nature. The internet subculture spawned after this meme was characterized by a dark and hopeless interpretation of the world and modern society, and those who describe themselves as "Doomers" express this through their music taste, ideology, fashion, and aesthetic pictures. Essentially, the four main emotions associated with the Doomer subculture are alienation, pessimism, nihilism and despair. Another key value often found in this subculture is pacifism, as some people have used this aesthetic as a way to cope with the harsh realities of life in war-torn countries.

Music

Doomerwave itself is sometimes described as a microgenre that combines Post-Punk with Vaporwave and Chopped 'n' Screwed music. Doomerwave songs usually consist of sampling Post-Rock or Post-Punk. The samples are slowed down both in speed and pitch, and melancholic elements are added, like record cackles, glitch sound effects and high reverb. Multiple Doomerwave remixes can be found on YouTube and Reddit, where they gained a cult following. Moreover, other than Doomerwave, the Doomer aesthetic is generally associated with a wide number of musical genres. The most predominant music listened by the Doomer community generally includes Post-Punk or Synthpop. However, most songs that have a sad and existential vibe in general can be used in this aesthetic. As described by various members of the community, Doomer songs convey feelings of somber, melancholy and bittersweet emotions.

Genres

Some musical genres associated with the Doomer subculture include:

• Doomerwave
• Post-Punk
• Grunge
• Shoegaze
• Synthwave
• Post-Rock
• Midwest Emo
• Synthpop
• Synthpunk
• Slowcore
• Russian Phonk
• Noise Rock
• Doom Metal
• Classical

Criticism

The Doomer aesthetic is sometimes criticized for aestheticizing nihilism and depression. Some people argue that the Doomer aesthetic is promoting these negative and destructive philosophies, and that it potentially discourages people from taking action to improve their lives or the world around them.

Fashion

• Unwashed plain hoodie or Adidas jacket
• Blue jeans
• Tennis or skating shoes
• Worn down, beaten up car
• Joker 2019 poster
• Unemployed, works night shifts, or nearly all day (8 hours or above)
• Cigarettes and/or coffee

Media

Musical Artists

• Молчат Дома (Molchat Doma)
• Июльские Дни (July Days)
• Ploho
• Utro
• Soviet Soviet
• ssshhhiiittt!
• Kino
• Buerak
• The End Of Electronics
• Nirvana
• Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Songs

• Судно by Молчат Дома (Molchat Doma)
• Клетка by Молчат Дома (Molchat Doma)
• Танцевать Молчат Дома (Molchat Doma)
• пластинки by Дурной Вкус
• На Заре by Альянс
• Panic by The Smiths
• 1990 by Soviet Soviet
• After Dark by Mr. Kitty
• A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth
• The Less I Know The Better by Tame Impala
• The Perfect Girl by Mareux
• Transgender by Crystal Castles
• Crimewave by Crystal Castles vs. Health
• Something in the Way by Nirvana
• All Apologies by Nirvana
• rockstar (slowed) by Post-Malone & 21 Savage
• Habits (Hippie Sabotage Remix) by Tove Lo
• Castle Walls (fAux remix) by Christina Aguilera
• Fallout Classical Music Radio Playlist by Various Artists
• The Dead Flag Blues by Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Movies

• Joker (2019)
• Watchmen (2009)
• The Batman (2022)
• Taxi Driver (1976)
• Come and See (1985)

Gallery

The Doomer Wojak character as represented in Doomerwave.

An example of the Doomerwave aesthetic being used as an anti-war statement.