"Brain Rot" Crowned Oxford Word of the Year 2024, Reflecting Societal Anxieties about Online Content Consumption
In a decisive declaration reflecting the zeitgeist of the digital age, Oxford Languages has announced "brain rot" as its 2024 Word of the Year. Culled from a shortlist of six contenders and chosen following a public vote involving over 37,000 participants, "brain rot" encapsulates growing anxieties surrounding the perceived negative impacts of excessive consumption of low-quality online content. This selection marks a significant moment in the ongoing cultural conversation about the complex relationship between humanity and technology, particularly within the context of increasingly pervasive online environments.
Defined as "the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging," "brain rot" experienced a remarkable 230% surge in usage between 2023 and 2024. Originating in Henry David Thoreau’s 1854 work Walden, where it critiqued societal preference for simplistic ideas, the term has found renewed relevance in the digital era, particularly within the past year. Its resurgence highlights a growing concern about the potential detrimental effects of mindless scrolling and passive consumption of online content, often associated with platforms like TikTok and viral trends.
"Brain rot" has emerged as a ubiquitous term encompassing both the cause and effect of this perceived decline in mental acuity. It refers not only to the low-value content prevalent on social media and the internet but also to the subsequent negative cognitive impact attributed to its overconsumption. The term’s prevalence within Gen Z and Gen Alpha communities, particularly on platforms like TikTok, underscores a self-aware irony, as these generations simultaneously drive the creation and consumption of the very content they label as "brain rot."
The term’s association with specific online phenomena, such as the Skibidi Toilet video series and "only in Ohio" memes, further illustrates its integration into internet culture. These trends have even spawned a unique “brain rot language,” with terms like “skibidi” (meaning nonsensical) and “Ohio” (meaning embarrassing or weird) migrating from online spaces into offline conversations. This phenomenon exemplifies the increasing influence of viral online culture on broader language trends.
Beyond its humorous and self-deprecating usage within online communities, "brain rot" has also become a topic of serious discussion surrounding mental health, especially among children and young people. The concern extends beyond mere time-wasting, raising questions about the potential long-term cognitive and emotional consequences of excessive exposure to superficial online content. This concern has been acknowledged even by mental health professionals, with some institutions publishing online resources addressing "brain rot" and offering strategies to mitigate its perceived effects.
Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages, emphasized the significance of this year’s selection, stating that it reflects society’s growing preoccupation with the evolving virtual landscape and its influence on our lives and language. He noted the term’s resonance within the younger generations, who are simultaneously immersed in and critical of the digital world they inhabit. "Brain rot," he argues, represents a natural progression in the ongoing discourse about the interplay between humanity and technology, offering a poignant commentary on how we choose to engage with the digital realm. The public’s overwhelming endorsement of "brain rot" as the 2024 Word of the Year signifies its potent capture of a prevalent societal concern in the digital age.