Sunday Reading: Word of the year

WORD OF THE YEAR 2024

Hello everyone, This blog is the part of Sunday reading task given by Dilip sir (Teacher's Blog) on the topic "Thinking Activity: Exploring the Words of the Year 2024 | Brain Rot and Manifest " In this blog I am going to reflect upon the words of the year given by Cambridge and Oxford. Moreover, I will analyze the word in its social and cultural context along with the role of the language.

The role of words, especially given by Oxford and Cambridge display the importance of the words throughout the world. As a structuralist Fradinad de Saussure said that the meaning can only be possible in context. The interdependence of the signifier and signified shapes the reality. In a similar way, the meanings of both words mentioned above are different across culture, society, and continent.

Oxford word of the year 2024: ‘Brain Rot’

According to Oxford University Press “Brain Rot” is defined as ‘Supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as a 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.’ 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.(Oxford University Press)

The word ‘Brain rot’ taps into anxieties about how constant scrolling through social media, viral trends, and binge-watching can dull critical thinking or drain mental energy.

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.

It has also been used more specifically and consistently in reference to online culture. This has often been used in an ironic or self-deprecating manner by online communities and is strongly associated with certain types of content, including the viral Skibidi Toilet video series by creator Alexey Gerasimov, featuring humanoid toilets, and user-generated 'only in Ohio' memes referencing bizarre incidents in the state. 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’.

Contemporary Reflections on "Brain Rot":

Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts facilitate the fast consumption of short-form content, which is frequently curated for maximum engagement rather than depth. People report feeling "mentally drained" after hours of scrolling, which perfectly aligns with the "brain rot" concept. That's the impact on real life of people. Many people often complain of losing focus, lagging in productivity, or experiencing a "foggy brain" after those long social media binges. It mirrors growing concerns about "digital dementia"-a term used to describe a kind of cognitive decline, now blamed on over-reliance on technology.

Pop Culture References to "Brain Rot":

Memes that hilariously use the term "brain rot" have gone through the roof. People tend to use this term self-deprecatingly and criticize themselves for their consumption of content, especially about TikTok and Reddit. Such posts as, "I just scrolled for 3 hours and I feel like I have brain rot" are typical on social media. Terms such as "terminally online" and "chronically online" are also closely related to "brain rot." These terms refer to people so deeply embedded in internet culture that they lose touch with reality, much like what happens to characters in "Black Mirror" or "Ready Player One."

Cambridge word of the year 2024: “Manifest”

The word "manifest" has evolved from its traditional meaning of "clear or obvious" into a verb associated with self-help, visualization, and personal growth.

To manifest means: ‘To use methods such as visualization and affirmation to imagine achieving something you want, in the belief that doing so will make it more likely to happen.’ (Cambridge Dictionary)

This new interpretation has connections to popular self-help practices, spirituality, and a wider "wellness" culture that promotes self-empowerment. It draws on the "Law of Attraction" concept — a belief system that claims thinking positively about desired outcomes will "attract" them into reality. Popularized by books like "The Secret" (2006), which promoted the idea that "thoughts become things."

These movements suggest that people can shape their reality through focused intention, affirmations, and mental visualization, and these ideas have been rebranded and repopularized in the 21st century, particularly via social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

The concept of "manifest" is playing out in real-life scenarios across career, relationships, and financial goals. In job hunting, people visualize success by journaling daily affirmations like "I have my dream job" or creating vision boards, with viral TikTok stories of users "manifesting" roles at major companies like Google. In relationships, manifestations have become the new trend-people visualize their ideal lover and act "as if" they are already in one. Success stories abound: "I manifested my soulmate." Financially, with high inflation, people seek wealth by affirming "I am a magnet for money" linking manifestation to side-hustle culture and social media content that claims a mindset shift can "attract wealth" into their lives.

As shah rukh khan made this dialogue:

"Main apni kismat khud likhta hoon."

It embodies the concept of taking control over one's future and believing in the ability to make a destiny. Manifestation culture always talks about "writing your future" by means of visualizations and affirmations. This dialogue clearly expresses that idea, stating that nothing outside matters if someone believes they can control their course.

As rajesh khanna made this dialouge:

“Babu Moshaay, zindagi badi honi chahiye, lambi nahi.”

This is reflective of a change in perspective — from the length of life to the quality of life. Manifestation often asks individuals to see a "big life" (abundance, wealth, joy) rather than simply a quantity. It is living life with richness, happiness, and fulfillment — exactly what the practitioners of manifestation are looking for when scripting their dream lives.

The ideas of ‘Brain rot’ and ‘Manifest’ represent the cultural heritage of a generation surfing through overindulgence and uncertainty. “Brain Rot” represents the psychological atrophy from shallow and repetitive content consumption, exemplified in movies like The Social Dilemma and Black Mirror, and in real-life behaviors like binge-watching and infinite scrolling on social media. On the other hand, “Manifest” is indicative of a turn toward empowerment in a world of insecurity, blending spiritual philosophy with modern self-help as humans seek control in an unstable world. While “Brain Rot’ attacks passive forms of escapism, ‘Manifest’ represents active agency although both reveal more profound tensions in society. Together, they highlight a generation caught between overstimulation and the desire for personal transformation, each concept offering a lens into contemporary struggles with meaning, control, and well-being.

I hope you enjoyed this blog reading, Thank you

For further reading,

Cambridge Dictionary. “MANIFEST | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary.” Cambridge Dictionary, 11 December 2024, https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/manifest#cald4-1-2 . Accessed 14 December 2024.

Oxford University Press. “Oxford Word of the Year 2024.” Oxford University Press, https://corp.oup.com/word-of-the-year/ . Accessed 14 December 2024.