Word of the year
By BarBaraPrz
@BarBaraPrz (47875)
St. Catharines, Ontario
January 5, 2025 2:30pm CST
Apparently, the word of the year for 2024 is 'brain rot', according to Oxford University Press. It is written as two words. I heard the radio guy mention it and I thought he said 'brat' and I wondered how that could be the word of the year.
So I searched it out and found it in fact to be 'brain rot'. How can that be? Am I that far out of touch with reality that I've never heard anyone utter it?
Further research says it was first recorded in Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden,” but I've never read that book. It apparently saw a 230% increase in usage over the last year. Have you ever used or heard it?
10 people like this
10 responses
@much2say (56635)
• Los Angeles, California
6 Jan
@DaddyEvil 
I do know - remember I have two older kids now who might teach their unhip mom a thing or two at times 
. Or I might think the stuff they watch or play on the screen is brain rot 
.
I do know - remember I have two older kids now who might teach their unhip mom a thing or two at times . Or I might think the stuff they watch or play on the screen is brain rot .2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (138372)
• United States
6 Jan
@much2say 
I guarantee some of the stuff on YT is brainrot. I watch entirely too much of it now... But I try to pick educational shows... Except for the gamers I watch. 
I guarantee some of the stuff on YT is brainrot. I watch entirely too much of it now... But I try to pick educational shows... Except for the gamers I watch. 2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (138372)
• United States
6 Jan
You make it so obvious that you know what it is, too. 
2 people like this
@rakski (127405)
• Philippines
5 Jan
Did you know that there is another use of the word.
Younger generations (gen Z and alpha) used it frequently as their slang words. I heard in one YT channel discussing their new slang words.
For them, 'brainrot' written as one word means low and poor quality internet content
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (47875)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
5 Jan
Apparently that's it, that social media plays an incredibly important part of many people’s lives, often to their detriment.
2 people like this
@Letranknight2015 (52186)
• Philippines
6 Jan
I never heard of it either. My brain doesn't rot for as long as im alive. some people choice to be entitled.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (47875)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
5 Jan
I guess we're just not "with it".
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (81292)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
5 Jan
Nope I never heard of this before, I guess it evolved as the world got crazier, When I found the definition on the Internet I understood more, It refers to all the ridiculous and otherwise nonsensical postings we have seen all through the last year especially those involving Trump
In Internet culture, brain rot (or brainrot) refers to any Internet content deemed to be of low quality or value, or the supposed negative psychological and cognitive effects caused by it.
2 people like this
@kaylachan (72906)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
6 Jan
I wouldn't say I've heard it a lot in 2024, but I have heard it or its longer version rot your brain used quite often over my lifetime.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (138372)
• United States
6 Jan
Yes, I've heard the term "brainrot" and used it on myLot. It's the way kids are describing the new memes that Gen Z and Gen Alpha are making/using. (Embarrassingly, I had to ask a Gen Z friend what was going on with skibidi toilet. He told me to ignore it since it was just brainrot.)
@Deepizzaguy (104898)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
5 Jan
I have never heard of a brain rot before much less used it as a saying.
1 person likes this
