What is a(n) (cyber-) aura?

Auras and cyber-auras are interconnected but are not the same. An aura, as defined by Benjamin, has a unique aspect of time and space.[1] These aspects are the differences between experiencing an event and seeing it through reproduced means. Benjamin also states that the reproductions diffuse the experience and reduce the quality of the presence.[2] Such occurrences can be observed by looking at photographs, movies, or other mechanical productions.

Cyber-auras, however, encompass a greater audience, and may create a new unique experience for each viewer. On one hand, an internet video may be seen and interpreted by an individual with one perspective. This perspective can be shared among a larger population to induce a cyber-aura that continues on almost infinitely. An example of this phenomenon is the movie Paranormal Activity. Originally, the movie opened in only 13 theaters.[3] However, the online marketing campaign was revolutionary. Using media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, and voting, the promotion for the movie was successful. Each person that watched the trailer obtained their own cyber-aura. This cyber-aura was then encompassed in the larger sphere of social media outlets.

The actual experience of the movie creates the mechanical aura. This mechanical aura may then be evolved into a cyber-aura by the use of internet reactions on media sites. Thus, both cyber-aura and aura are linked but are not the same. They may create a chain that is seemly infinite at a given point in time.

[1]Walter, Benjamin. Illuminations: The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. New York: Schocken Books, 1968, p.223.
[2]Walter, Benjamin. Illuminations: The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. New York: Schocken Books, 1968, p.221.
[3]Rosenberg, Adam. 'Paranormal Activity' To Open Nationwide After 1,000,000 Demands Are Received. MTV Movies. October 6, 2009. http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/10/06/paranormal-activity-to-open-nationwide-after-1000000-demands-are-received/ . Accessed February 21, 2011. Internet.