Women, who have historically been unfairly considered less intelligent than men, are squandering the incredible opportunities that technology provides.
Dr. Amandeep Kaur Sekhon
Dr. Amandeep Kaur, a distinguished academic, holds a Ph.D. in History with a specialization in “Artisans in Northern India: Continuity and Change (1605-1705).” Her illustrious academic journey includes a gold medal in M.Phil and extensive teaching experience at esteemed institutions under Punjab University. Passionate about academic research, she currently teaches at NMIMS Chandigarh.
Every year, Oxford University Press (OUP) picks a word that perfectly sums up the spirit of the times. For 2024, the chosen term was brain rot. What does this term mean, and why did it resonate so deeply with people across the world?
What Is Brain Rot?
In simple terms, brain rot describes the mental fatigue or cognitive decline caused by consuming too much mindless content online. It’s what happens when you swap meaningful engagement for an endless stream of low-quality videos and posts. Imagine spending hours scrolling through reels, only to realize you have gained nothing but a headache and the nagging feeling that your time has been wasted. This term gained attention in a world increasingly dominated by screens and distractions. What makes ‘brain rot’ particularly special is its dual nature. It’s self-deprecating yet serious, humorous yet haunting! It confronts the irony of living in an era where infinite knowledge is at our fingertips, yet many of us opt for the digital equivalent of junk mail.
A Word That Defines Our Times!
Like past winners such as Goblin Mode (2022) and Climate Emergency (2019), brain rot isn’t just a passing trend-it holds up a mirror to society. Despite having unlimited access to global knowledge, many of us waste hours and hours on the rubbish content that leaves us drained, rather than enriched. Particularly this reel culture has created a world where quality content is side-lined. Instead, we are drowning in junk served as entertainment. The digital landscape, which has the potential to educate and inspire, has instead turned into a playground for shallow, attention-grabbing distractions.
Women, young kids and teenagers, in particular, are the largest consumers of this rubbish content. Women, who have historically been unfairly considered less intelligent than men, are squandering the incredible opportunities that technology provides. Instead of consuming globally cutting-edge learning material that could empower or accomplish them, many are caught up in low-grade nonsensical reels like “Meri kali activa da ikk din khadd gya handle fadd ke…” It’s infuriating to see how such mindless reels are further downgrading their potential!
Meanwhile, kids and teens raised on a steady diet of mindless reels are developing dangerously shorter attention spans. Their constant exposure to these poor-quality videos and nonsensical reels like “Moye Moye”, etc, is shaping a generation that lacks focus, depth, and intellectual curiosity. If we pour rotten sugarcane into a machine, we can’t expect the refreshing juice. Likewise, feeding the youth with poor content will only lead to a future of shallow thinkers, we cannot expect them to grow into individuals with quality, depth, and a quest for learning. In this context, brain rot feels like the perfect descriptor for the times we live in. It isn’t just a linguistic term but a social Commentary that reflects who we are, where we have been, and, more importantly, where we fear we are heading toward.
Concluding Remark
The choice of brain rot as Word of the Year 2024 is a wake-up call. It highlights how algorithms push low-quality content that dulls our minds instead of sharpening them. More importantly, it’s a reminder that we still have the power to choose what we consume. In an era where distractions are just a swipe away, the real challenge is focusing on quality over quantity. The first step to combating brain rot is acknowledging its existence. As long as we continue indulging in low-quality content, we risk spiralling into a generation devoid of depth, focus, and critical thinking. After all, we can’t expect quality outcomes from rotten inputs. Technology has the potential to elevate us, but only if we use it wisely.
Let’s change the narrative-before the rot becomes irreversible!
