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‘Brain Rot’ is the 2024 Word of the Year, According to Oxford University Press

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‘Brain Rot’ is the 2024 Word of the Year, According to Oxford University Press

As a seasoned movie critic who has witnessed the evolution of storytelling from the silent era to the digital age, I must say that the term “brain rot” resonates deeply with me. It encapsulates the paradoxical nature of our modern world where technology, meant to enrich and educate, often leaves us intellectually hollowed out.

If you’ve been scrolling too long on social media, you might be suffering from “brain rot,” the word of 2024, per the publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary.

On Monday, Oxford University Press revealed its selected term for the year – “Brain rot,” which refers to a perceived decline in mental or intellectual abilities due to excessive consumption of trivial or unchallenging content online, particularly. This term was chosen over five other finalists such as “dynamic pricing,” “lore,” “romantasy,” “slop,” and Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year, “demure.

Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages, pointed out that the phrase ‘Brain rot’ encapsulates a concern about the risks associated with virtual living and how we spend our leisure time. This term seems fitting in the ongoing cultural dialogue between mankind and technology, and it’s no wonder that it resonated with so many people, earning their support as our top choice for this year.

The term “brain rot” was first used in print by Henry David Thoreau, as documented by Oxford University Press, in his work “Walden,” published in 1854. In this treatise on transcendentalism, Thoreau wrote, “As England tries to cure the potato blight, shouldn’t any effort be made to cure the ‘brain rot,’ which affects so many more people and is far deadlier?

However, in recent times, this term has become more popular among Generation Z and Generation Alpha. They’ve been using it extensively on social media platforms, which are often criticized for causing ‘cognitive decay.’ This shows a playful acknowledgment by the younger generations about the potential negative effects of social media that they’ve grown up with.

Each year, Oxford University Press selects an English word or phrase that encapsulates the zeitgeist of the past twelve months. As we look back over the last two decades, it’s clear that society has become increasingly fascinated by how our digital lives are transforming and how internet culture is influencing our identities and conversations. Last year, the chosen term was “rizz,” a Gen-Z shorthand for charisma. In 2022, the word of the year was “goblin mode,” which refers to behavior that is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, messy, or greedy. And in 2021, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and discussions about vaccines, it was “vax.

As a film enthusiast, I’ve noticed that several publications have announced their Word of the Year for 2024. Collins Dictionary went with “brat,” which they said took on a fresh meaning – “displaying a self-assured, independent, and hedonistic attitude” – following the global cultural phenomenon inspired by British pop artist Charlie XCX’s hit album. Cambridge Dictionary chose “manifest,” meaning to visualize achieving something you desire, with the belief that it increases the likelihood of success, although they cautioned that manifesting lacks scientific backing. Macquarie Dictionary opted for “enshittification,” describing the gradual decline in quality of a service or product due to cost-cutting measures on online platforms. Lastly, amidst the world’s largest election year, The Economist picked “kakistocracy,” referring to governance by the worst individuals.

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2024-12-02 13:06

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