I have too much to say, so this post will be Part 1.

Is it because I am the daughter of a pharmacist that I have long been interested in the profession of apothecary, in the exotic substances they handled and the history of their discoveries, sometimes oscillating between science and quackery? From apothecaries to  witches, there is always this common basis of herbalism, healing, or even poison! 

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What interests us here is that whatever your spirituality, you’ve probably felt the need to connect to something bigger than your to-do list. To feel meaning.To feel like you still have a say in your own story. That’s where modern witchcraft becomes appealing for some people, as a language they use to make sense of the world. Moreover it’s also become embedded in pop culture. A whole universe of modern witches exists online, especially on TikTok, where the hashtag WitchTok has collected massive view counts (billions) over the years. And the biggest change from the Salem witch era does not lie so much in this or that custom of witches, but rather in the power dynamic behind the word witch.

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The word “witch” used to be a weapon. Now it’s often a choice.

Let’s get one thing straight: the “witches” of Salem weren’t running a cute moon-circle with spell jars. In Salem, “witch” was an accusation. A label slapped onto someone by a community, backed by fear, suspicion, and authority. The accused didn’t typically identify as witches. They were pushed into that category, often through pressure, interrogation, and social panic.

Today, a “witch” is often the opposite: a person choosing this name. Taking a charged word and turning it into identity, practice, even a badge. That’s the modern twist: witch as self-definition, not as punishment.

Why witchcraft is back

When people get frustrated, they often turn to witchcraft because the typical channels through which they accomplish things have stopped working.

That “channels stopped working” feeling is very 21st century:

• institutions feel slow or broken

• economy feels like a trap

• social life is fragmented

• burnout is chronic

• the future feels frightening

Even before the pandemic, witchcraft was already making a comeback as a response to societal unrest. The pandemic didn’t invent it—it just poured gasoline on a trend that was already burning.

And no, that doesn’t mean everyone suddenly believes in literal spells.

It means people are hungry for:

• symbolism

• ritual

• community

• a way to interpret uncertainty that isn’t just “scroll and panic”.

You may not be a modern witch, but if you find the subject interesting, come back next Friday for part 2.

Sources:

- Wired magazine: TikTok has become the home of modern witchcraft

- Brandeis University:  Modern witchcraft: Empowerment, feminism, and rituals

- TikTok: #WitchTok

- Vogue magazine: What does it mean to be a modern witch? 3 real-life witches share their experiences