Benjamin på BookTok: Reproduktion, perception og autenticitet i online læsefællesskaber

Walter Benjamin's work “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" (Benjamin, 1936/1994) remains relevant in discussing the impact of new media on our perceptions of art and culture. The text is written in a time of media transition, where the key concepts of aura, originality and authenticity are discussed concerning the mass media's ability to reproduce and mediate unique works and physical stage performances. On BookTok, a reading community on TikTok where young readers connect with other readers, the analog printed book exists within the confines of the digital medium, where it is discussed, hashtagged, shared, and liked. This article discusses the cultural and media effects of Booktok, on cultural production and consumption. To analyze Booktok, we will test Benjamin's concepts of aura, perception, and reproduction, as we are in a similar period of media historical transition as Benjamin.