Oxford University Press has named “brain rot” as its 2024 word of the year, defining it as the deterioration of a person’s mental state due to overconsumption of trivial online content, particularly popular among Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Gen Alpha, born after 2010, are considered to be the primary drivers of this hyper-online language, with the term increasing in usage by 230% between 2023 and 2024. This language includes terms like “sigma,” “gyatt,” and “Skibidi,” used humorously or self-deprecatingly by online communities.
The term was selected from a list of six words by more than 37,000 voters and reflects concerns about the impact of social media on mental well-being. With the rise of virtual life and how we spend our free time, “brain rot” represents a cultural conversation about the relationship between humanity and technology. Oxford University Press credits the younger generations with displaying a self-awareness about the harmful effects of social media, inherited from previous generations.
Overall, this selection of “brain rot” as the word of the year highlights the influence of Gen Z and Gen Alpha online communities and their playful yet critical perspective on the digital age. This recognition by a prestigious academic publishing house further solidifies the place of this generation’s language and culture in mainstream discourse.
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