The “invisible string theory,” is the idea that the universe covertly connects people who are destined to meet one day, and it’s TikTok’s latest obsession.
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TikTok’s invisible string theory explained
The centuries-old concept of fate is gaining traction on TikTok as several young people share how they and their partners’ lives intersected multiple times before they finally met.
Many of the videos on the application use the Taylor Swift song by the same name: “invisible string”. In the song, Swift sings “isn’t it just so pretty to think all along there was some invisible string tying you to me” to share their love stories.
The song alludes to East Asian folklore around the “red thread of fate” that ties together lovers who are ultimately destined for each other.
The trend shows that so many couples come together after quietly existing in the background of each others’ lives. For instance, in one of the videos shared by a user, she writes “I lived 9 floors below my boyfriend for 20 years and we never knew each other. But two years ago, the night before I moved across the country to LA, we met in our apartment building in NYC and he bought a one-way ticket to visit me a week later and he never left,”
@ellewintermusic All along there was some invisible string💜 #invisiblestring #taylorswift #relationship ♬ invisible string to ivy – taylor’s version
Many other people have been inspired to share their own stories. In comments of other posts, one user claimed her husband was in the background of her childhood best friend’s home video. Another wrote that she and her husband appeared in the background of each other’s photos when she was at her ex’s college formal.
It seems fate is more common in love than the average person would believe it to be.
@ryleepetersenn there are so many crazy coincidences in life that brought us together 🥹💗✨ #husband #invisiblestring #invisiblestringtheory #hidinginplainsight #husbandandwife #marriage #youngmarriage #soulmate ♬ Beabadoobee Glue Song with Clairo – Beabadoobee
The hashtag #invisiblestringtheory spiked last week, accruing more than a million views in the last seven days. It is a way for couples to connect with followers and share their stories of love. There’s even a CapCut template to try for free.
Couples who create content together are also more likely to generate more views and likes on TikTok videos. For users who believe in the “invisible string,” it is a source of comfort and joy. It is a reminder that love can be special and destined to be.
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