Oxford University Press has crowned “brain rot” as the Word of the Year for 2024, reflecting a growing societal concern about the detrimental effects of overconsuming trivial online content. The term has resonated particularly with younger generations, who have been identified as both the creators and consumers of this type of content, leading to a surge in its usage across social media and mainstream discourse.
The term “brain rot,” defined by Oxford as “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially due to overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging,” has gained prominence in the last year. First recorded by Henry David Thoreau in his 1854 book Walden, the phrase has evolved, now encapsulating modern anxieties about the quality of digital life and the impact of mindless scrolling.
And the official 2024 Oxford Word of the Year is… Brain rot 📱🧠 #OxfordWOTY pic.twitter.com/ePgpL28p9H
— Oxford University Press (@OxUniPress) December 2, 2024
This year, there was a striking 230 per cent increase in the usage of “brain rot” between 2023 and 2024. Originally popularized on platforms like TikTok, the term is now widely discussed, particularly as social media platforms are increasingly scrutinized for contributing to the spread of shallow, low-quality content.
The term captures a cultural shift where online engagement, once viewed as a way to connect and share meaningful content, is now often associated with mind-numbing distractions and superficial material.
Oxford’s decision to highlight this term underscores broader concerns regarding how we spend our time in the digital age. “Brain rot” encapsulates a growing unease about the intellectual and emotional toll of consuming low-effort content such as viral videos, memes, and clickbait. Critics argue that this type of content, while entertaining, does little to enrich minds or encourage critical thinking, thus “rotting” the brain over time.
Interestingly, the term has not only been embraced by older generations concerned about the future of the internet but also by the very generations responsible for generating much of this digital content—Gen Z and Gen Alpha.
Oxford’s president of languages, Casper Grathwohl, noted the irony of these generations adopting a term that critiques their own content creation. “It’s fascinating that ‘brain rot’ has been embraced by the very communities whose digital behavior it critiques,” Grathwohl remarked.
The rise of “brain rot” reflects deeper cultural anxieties about our relationship with technology. While digital platforms offer unprecedented access to information, they also present challenges related to attention span, mental well-being, and intellectual development. The term points to a tension: the enriching possibilities of the digital world versus the cognitive costs associated with overconsumption of trivial content.
By selecting “brain rot” as the Word of the Year, Oxford University Press captures the pulse of the times and invites further discussion on how to navigate the complexities of modern digital life. The term suggests that, as we continue to embrace digital technologies, we must also reckon with their potential drawbacks. As society debates the future of the digital landscape, it will be crucial to strike a balance between connection and consumption, entertainment and enrichment.
