I’m the CEO of the ASMR Fandom
Photo credit: Elena Nazarova
I remember the first time I felt the sensations that stem from ASMR. It was the third grade, and I was sitting in my classroom listening to my teacher lecture on and on about God-knows-what topic. Back then, I associated school with a sense of serenity; a secure and safe haven for me to relax, be myself, and learn more about the world around me. When I would walk into third grade each morning, a wave of calm would rush over my shoulders after greeting my teacher. She had a sort of sing-songy voice–––not too high, not too musical–––and would often unintentionally speak in a delicate, hushed tone. Her gentleness paired greatly with me and my peer’s exuberance and antsy-ness. I often felt calmed by her voice and the way she would share information and read instructions to the class; I wasn’t sure of it then, but the soothing sensations I felt were the foundations for what would become my admiration of ASMR.
For anyone who’s (unfortunately) living under several rocks, ASMR stands for “Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.” As described by Oxford Languages, it is “a feeling of well-being combined with a tingling sensation in the scalp and down the back of the neck, as experienced by some people in response to a specific gentle stimulus, often a particular sound.” Essentially, it’s that ease you get when watching a movie and the character on screen is sitting in a library whispering softly to their friend. Or applying makeup. Or chewing gum. Or typing on a computer. All of these sensory-stimulating actions are common triggers of ASMR, or “tingles,” as the internet has dubbed them. It may seem a bit odd that ASMR is a devoted piece of our culture, however its presence on YouTube and on the internet as a whole is much more prominent than expected. Some of the biggest YouTubers have found their success through their ASMR videos. My personal favorites have to be GentleWhispering ASMR and Frivolousfox ASMR. I apologize, I’ll stop being nerdy…
On a more controversial and serious note, I want to address a topic that is often brought up whenever ASMR is in conversation: is it sexual? This misconception is often brought up by people who don’t watch ASMR. There are videos of that nature out there, but it is the minority in comparison to all of the non-risque ASMR content there is to consume. People confuse appeasement and relaxation with seduction and romance; these are not mutual, but rather completely opposite. For something to be seductive and sexy, it must have a layer of lust and a clear undertone of romance. Most ASMR videos lack this, and solely employ whispering and slow hand movements to induce drowsiness, nothing more.
Ask my parents or friends, and they would tell you that I love to watch ASMR videos. I watch them practically every night to fall asleep, and watch them to relax when junior year feels a teensy bit too overwhelming for my liking. There’s something about a thirty-something year old woman whispering in my ear, pretending to be a flight attendant, that lulls my brain. I don’t want to be overzealous in my love of ASMR, it just receives far too much hate for the power it holds over people. I’m not alone in my viewership–––so many people watch ASMR that in 2022, 500,000 ASMR channels with over 25 million videos were thriving on YouTube. These statistics are testament to the proof of ASMR’s success in inducing relaxation and slumber. Since becoming mainstream in the mid-2010’s, many celebrities have even partaken in ASMR: Ariana Grande audibly tested makeup while promoting a collection for her brand R.E.M. Beauty, Cardi B, Paris Hilton, Aubrey Plaza, and many more have practiced the craft in ASMR Interviews with W Magazine.
Many people love the general sounds of keyboard clicking, page turning, and lipgloss applying when experiencing ASMR, but my favorite “genre” of videos are the skits. I love watching ASMR videos where you are transported to a fancy restaurant and learn table manners from a etiquette coach, or when you are at the airport and must get your luggage checked at security. It is not only relaxing, but fun, to immerse yourself in a pre-dreamy fictional world before bed; it gives my brain a respite to drift away before falling asleep. Silly, yes, but don’t knock it ‘till you try it. I get it if this sort of ASMR is not your thing; it’s weird in many ways and asks a lot from the viewer. One has to shed themself of any self consciousness and embarrassment and embrace the silly antics to truly benefit from this content. I, for one, find myself doing that quite easily, as I have been an avid ASMR enjoyer for much of middle and high school.
I really do love ASMR, from the mundane and minimalist of someone sitting in front of a camera and a microphone whispering words aloud from the dictionary, to the more niche nooks and crannies. I could go on and on about how much ASMR has made me more restful, less irritable, less stressed out before final exams, but I want to leave you with one final sentiment. To anyone skeptical of ASMR and its soothing power, I urge you to step into the world for an hour and quietly observe; you will soon see that the sensations of ASMR can be felt all around us.
This is the CEO of the ASMR Fandom, signing off… (via whisper).
