What Is ‘Brain Rot’? Oxford’s Word of the Year Highlights Social Media Epidemic
By Movieguide® Contributor
Oxford University’s new word of the year epitomizes the mindlessness that dominates social media.
“More than 37,000 people voted to help choose the winner from a shortlist of six words drawn up by Oxford University Press, the publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary,” the Guardian reported.
The winner? “Brain rot.”
The definition? “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. Also: something characterized as likely to lead to such deterioration.”
Brain rot “gained new prominence in 2024 as a term used to capture concerns about the impact of consuming excessive amounts of low-quality online content, especially on social media,” said the Oxford University Press.
CNN noted that while the use of “brain rot” rose 230% this year, the word originated in the mid-1800s.
“According to OUP, it was first used by author Henry David Thoreau in his book ‘Walden’ as he criticised society’s tendency to devalue complicated ideas in favour of simple ones,” the outlet said. “‘While England endeavours to cure the potato rot,’ wrote Thoreau, ‘will not any endeavour to cure the brain-rot — which prevails so much more widely and fatally?'”
Social media has certainly exacerbated brain rot. Overstimulating your brain with excessive screentime and doomscrolling result in “difficulty organizing information, solving problems, making decisions, and recalling information,” the Newport Institute said.
“…People chimed in about being addicted and suffering from health issues or lack of sleep. Users realized they weren’t using social media as they originally intended—for connecting with friends and family. One person said social media, ‘became an outlet for doomscrolling and rage commenting and, more often than not, was a massive time suck that left me feeling depressed at how much time I wasted. With all the bad things going on in the world around me, social media became yet another conduit for a poor mental health outlook.’”
READ MORE: WHY MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE STAYING OFF ‘TOXIC’ SOCIAL MEDIA
“Brain rot speaks to one of the perceived dangers of virtual life, and how we are using our free time,” said Casper Grathwohl, Oxford Languages President. “It feels like a rightful next chapter in the cultural conversation about humanity and technology. It’s not surprising that so many voters embraced the term, endorsing it as our choice this year. I also find it fascinating that the word brain rot has been adopted by gen Z and gen Alpha, those communities largely responsible for the use and creation of the digital content the term refers to.”
READ MORE: 5 SIGNS YOU’RE ADDICTED TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND HOW TO FIGHT IT
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