As social media has become increasingly popular, so has the lingo that comes along with it. Referred to as “brainrot”, the younger generations have been turning their vocabulary into something that the older generations deem unrecognizable.
“Brainrot” is commonly used by people who are known as “chronically online”. In other words, social media significantly contributes to this new language spoken by the younger generations.
As far as why it is called brainrot, it’s pretty easy to guess. Kids who spend their days scrolling through TikTok or Instagram aren’t actually having any critical thought. Not only that, but it makes it harder to get off because the algorithm is designed to keep the consumer on for as long as they can.
According to NBC News interviewee Mitch Prinstein, “the platforms seem to be designed to keep kids engaged for as long as possible, to keep them on there. And kids are just not able to resist those impulses as effectively as adults.”
Spending so much time online is proven to have negative impacts on young, impressionable children. Not only children are impacted by this though; older teenagers and adults also have reported feeling worse after being online.
However, the internet isn’t all bad. Social media is a popular way to stay connected, especially with younger generations that rely on technology to connect more.
Nevertheless, some things such as the evolved humor that comes with social media isn’t always what comes to mind first for most people. New sayings such as “skibidi toilet” and “what the sigma” are becoming mainstream as accepted forms of humor.
So why is it so popular? What makes these random slang terms so funny?
According to Vox, “It’s like starting an inside joke with your friends and your entire circle continuing to use it”.
It allows teens to feel more connected through their own language. Even if they don’t run in the same circles, most teens can bond better if they are speaking with the same terms that everyone else is. “Brainrot” allows a sense of secrecy away from the majority of older people not clued into the newest “lingo”.
In addition, it is a fun way to make everyone feel more included. Getting to speak in the same language as each other can make more people feel comforted.
Overall, the evidence points to “brainrot” not really being a bad thing, but instead, being able to allow people feel included in on conversations they weren’t before. So why can’t everybody start to use it?
