Tiktokism

Tiktokism is a belief system in Oz that elevates mechanical and clockwork creations—tiktok creatures—to objects of quasi-religious veneration, representing a hollow, spectacle-driven alternative to both traditional unionist faith and the pleasure faith. It is characterized by its reliance on mechanical contrivances rather than spiritual or magical agency, and is associated with the Wizard's regime as a tool for social control and the erosion of traditional labor and moral values.

Nature and Origins

Tiktokism is defined by its devotion to mechanical beings—creatures of clockwork, brass, and gears—as sources of wonder and, implicitly, of authority. Unlike the pleasure faith, which relies on magic and spectacle, or unionism, which centers on the Unnamed God, Tiktokism finds its power in the purely mechanical. The Wizard of Oz, himself a man from another world who arrived in a hot-air balloon, has propagated this belief system as part of his rule. The regime's reliance on tiktok servants, such as Grommetik, the bronze mechanical man that serves Madame Morrible, demonstrates how the state integrates these creations into its daily operations of surveillance and control.

Association with the Wizard's Regime

Tiktokism is closely tied to the Wizard's political project. The Wizard's reign is marked by a fascination with industry and mechanical progress, which Tiktokism embodies. The regime uses tiktok creatures not only as servants but also as symbols of a new, rationalized order that displaces older forms of life and labor. This is part of a broader campaign to marginalize traditional populations, including the Animals, whose sentience and labor are rendered obsolete by mechanical alternatives. The rise of Tiktokism is thus linked to the erosion of Animal rights and the systematic replacement of living, thinking beings with soulless machines.

Critique and Consequences

The novel presents Tiktokism as a spiritually bankrupt and socially destructive force. Frexspar, the unionist minister, condemns it as a form of idolatry that distracts the masses from true devotion. A Cow, held captive in Munchkinland, offers a more materialist critique: she draws a direct connection between the rise of Tiktokism and the erosion of traditional Animal labor. As tiktok creatures made Animals redundant in the workforce, it became only a matter of time before they were made socially redundant as well. This analysis suggests that Tiktokism is not merely a harmless fad but a key component of a system that devalues life itself, reducing all beings to their utility. The philosophy is thus presented as a symptom of a wider societal sickness, where mechanical efficiency is prized over compassion, justice, and the inherent worth of living creatures.