Power Academia is a variation of the Academia aesthetic which is primarily distinguished by its focus on authority. It is strongly influenced by early 20th century Western ideals of masculinity. It is the aesthetic counterpart to Arete.
The Power Academic’s ultimate goal is to achieve greatness. Consequently, he pursues self-actualizing activities, such as intellectualism, physical fitness, creating and appreciating great art, acquiring wealth, and travel. A person may be considered a Power Academic if he is successful in several such areas. For these reasons, Power Academia as an aesthetic is meant to capture the mood of accomplishment. Its motifs and images are associated with the grand lifestyle one might expect a great man to live. Common themes across its visuals are tastefulness, sophistication, and refinement.
Power Academia is most similar to Dark Academia, although it differs by its focus on themes of masculinity and traditionalism. It also heavily overlaps with the playboy and BDSM aesthetics.
Philosophy[]
Power Academia is both an aesthetic and a lifestyle. The lifestyle is contingent on two axioms: first, that the most valuable use of one's life is to become great; and second, that greatness is best defined as the confluence of superiority in multiple areas. The logic is that, if one assumes the most moral action is that which most improves the lives of the most people, then one ought to emulate historical great men, who are empirically responsible for the most positive influence on human history. The common quality of historical great men is that they are well-rounded, so the Power Academic aims to develop his capability in a wide range of areas.
The aesthetics of Power Academia serve the lifestyle. The Power Academic presents himself as scholarly and authoritative because that is what he wishes to be. The purpose of wearing fine clothing and surrounding himself with high quality goods is to lend credence to this identity. In other words, the quality of the aesthetic matches the quality of the man.
Power Academia is a demanding role which not everyone can or should pursue. Power Academics accept the responsibility of those who choose to find fulfillment through other lifestyles. They frequently engage in relationships with power imbalances for this reason.
Imagery[]
Power Academia imagery is defined by high quality. Sufficiently artisanal goods made of leather, wood, metal, and glass qualify. Plastic is expressly forbidden.
Aside from that, anything which exudes a sense of intellectualism or social prowess fits. Examples of common Power Academia motifs include:
- Libraries
- Penthouse Apartments
- Upscale Bars
- Vintage Books
- Newspapers
- Liquor Bottles
- Chess Sets
- Classic Paintings and Sculptures
- Vinyl Records
- Maps and Globes
- Fine Foods
Fashion[]
Power Academia fashion is designed to present with authority and professionalism. Power Academics dress so that others will listen.
Examples of Power Academic fashion include:
- Suits
- Tuxedos
- Dress Shirts
- Blazers
- Ties
- Dress Shoes
- Leather Belts
- Luxury Watches
Media[]
Literature[]
Because Power Academia values classical education, any traditionally celebrated book fits the aesthetic. Good sources for such books are The Western Canon by Harold Bloom and the Great Book collection by Mortimer Adler.
Books which actually capture the mood of Power Academia are rarer, likely because Power Academic characters have too few flaws to be interesting. Nevertheless, some exist, as listed below:
- The 100 Most Influential People of All Time, Michael Hart
- Nietzsche's Body of Work
- The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
- The Secret History, Donna Tart
- Fifty Shades of Grey, E. L. James
Film[]
Similarly, classic and arthouse films all fit the aesthetic. The Criterion Collection is a good source of such films.
Power Academia films include:
- Citizen Kane, Orson Welles
- Casablanca, Michael Curtiz
- Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan
- Mad Men, Matthew Weiner
Music[]
There are no specific Power Academic musicians or songs. Classical, jazz, and tasteful rock fit the aesthetic.
Criticism[]
Some critics compare Power Academia unfavorably to the "alpha male" lifestyle put forward by people like Andrew Tate. They are superficially similar; they both value competition and dominance, and the emphasis on taste among Power Academic motifs is akin to the alpha male's insistence on wealth and luxury. The greatest difference between the two is that they have different objectives. The alpha male wishes to demonstrate that he is socially dominant over other men so that he can earn the approval of others, especially women. Whether he actually earned this position is irrelevant to him, so alpha males are typically more concerned with manipulating their reputation than with actual achievements. Conversely, while the Power Academic enjoys the approval of others, he strives for self-actualization because he wants to be personally fulfilled. Thus, he is not satisfied until he has actually achieved greatness. Because he is not trying to manipulate others, the Power Academic lacks the toxic qualities for which alpha males are often criticized.
Gallery[]
