Exploring the Words of the Year
2024 | Brain Rot and Manifest
- This blog is part of task given by Dr.Dilip Baradsir.
Brain Rot:
‘Brain rot’ is defined as “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material considered to be trivial or unchallenging. Also: something characterized as likely to lead to such deterioration”.
Speaking about this year’s selection process and the 2024 winner, Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages, in a statement said: “Looking back at the Oxford Word of the Year over the past two decades, you can see society’s growing preoccupation with how our virtual lives are evolving, the way internet culture is permeating so much of who we are and what we talk about. Last year’s winning word, ‘rizz’, was an interesting example of how language is increasingly formed, shaped, and shared within online communities. ‘Brain rot’ speaks to one of the perceived dangers of virtual life, and how we are using our free time. 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,’ he said.
Social context:
The first recorded use of brain rot was found in 1854 in Henry David Thoreau’s book Walden, which reports his experiences of living a simple lifestyle in the natural world. As part of his conclusions, Thoreau criticises society’s tendency to devalue complex ideas, or those that can be interpreted in multiple ways, in favour of simple ones, and sees this as indicative of a general decline in mental and intellectual effort: “While England endeavours to cure the potato rot, will not any endeavour to cure the brain-rot which prevails so much more widely and fatally?”
According to Oxford University, the term has taken on new significance in the digital age, especially over the past 12 months. Initially gaining traction on social media platforms particularly on TikTok among Gen Z and Gen Alpha communities brain rot is now seeing more widespread use, such as in mainstream journalism, amidst societal concerns about the negative impact of overconsuming online content.
In 2024, brain rot is used to describe both the cause and effect of this, referring to low-quality, low-value content found on social media and the internet, as well as the subsequent negative impact that consuming this type of content is perceived to have on an individual or society.
This content has given rise to emerging ‘brain rot language’ such as skibidi, meaning something nonsensical, and Ohio, meaning something embarrassing or weird which reflects a growing trend of words originating in viral online culture before spreading offline into the real world.
Manifest:
They use “to manifest” in the sense of ‘to imagine achieving something you want, in the belief that doing so will make it more likely to happen’. Yet manifesting is an unproven idea that grew out of a 100-year-old spiritual philosophy movement.
Manifesting Goals and Aspirations:
In today’s culture, the concept of "manifestation" has gained significant popularity, particularly in self-help and wellness communities. Many people practice "manifestation" as a way of intentionally focusing their thoughts and energy to bring their goals or dreams to life.
Personal Reflection and Clarity:
On a personal level, people strive to make their values or priorities manifest in their choices, whether through careers, relationships, or daily habits.
Refrences:
Jha, Sumit. “From memes to mental health: Oxford's word of the year 'Brain Rot' — Why it matters and how to beat it.” https://thesouthfirst.com/health/from-memes-to-mental-health-oxfords-word-of-the-year-brain-rot-why-it-matters-and-how-to-beat-it/. Accessed 15 December 2024.
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