Brainrot. It’s a hot topic and commonly used term within younger generations – ironically or otherwise. For those who don’t know what brain rot is, it is, according to Wikipedia,“a slang term used to describe internet content of low quality or value, or negative effects (psychological, cognitive, etc.) caused by it.” Examples of this in this context would be, “gyatt,” “what the sigma,” “rizz,” “alpha,” etc.
Personally, I use brain rot ironically when I’m with friends or when I am super tired and everything is funny. Even in those situations though, I’m not saying things like “what the sigma,” as I feel there is a line when it comes to internet humor being used in real life. That line is using brain rot to fill the empty air instead of having a purpose.
The SPUB staff seems to feel the same with most people mentioning it’s funny in certain situations. Most find it unfunny in serious and classroom settings but will use or not be bothered by it with their friends. Many also said it depended on how often it was used, stating that if used too often it loses its “charm” and funny aspect overall.
Some people in SPUB also mentioned that brain rot doesn’t just apply to the popular sayings above, but it is also another word for describing popular memes, trends, and just overall internet slang. Although the majority of Gen Z makes fun of Gen Alpha for using these words and phrases unironically, many of us also had our own form of brain rot. An example of this was “nyan cat” which Paityn Creach, 10, and I specifically mentioned.
While many had mostly neutral opinions about brain rot , Olivia Tarvin, 12, had very strong negative opinions about the topic. They have “never used those phrases even in a joking manner” and hate brain rot. Tarvin also went on to mention that it is harmful for younger generations to spend so much time online due to these phrases literally “rotting their brains.”
Anna Manning, our adviser, mentioned that they don’t know what brain rot really is. Manning described it as a “weird gatekeeping mechanism for adults,” since adults are usually left in the dark about the concept of these phrases and words.
Overall, while there are varying opinions, the common consensus is that brain rot is tolerable in moderation. While it can get old and unfunny when overused, most dabble in its usage. Just like every generation, Gen Alpha has just so happened to adopt these words into their everyday vocabulary, but it’s good to remember that Gen Z did the same thing. Although there are worries about the actual brain rot that these words cause, I believe this type of language adaptation is a “canon event” if you will.
