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“Brain Rot” Crowned Word Of The Year: A Reflection Of Digital Concerns

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

December 4, 2024

Oxford Dictionaries has announced “brain rot” as its 2024 Word of the Year, highlighting growing cultural anxieties about the mental toll of excessive online engagement.

The term “brain rot” refers to the perceived decline in cognitive or intellectual abilities due to overexposure to low-quality digital content, particularly on social media. Its selection as Word of the Year was decided by a public vote, involving over 37,000 participants during a two-week period.

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Other shortlisted contenders included:

Demure: Representing restraint or modesty.
Dynamic pricing: The practice of adjusting prices in response to market conditions.
Lore: Knowledge or traditions considered essential to understanding a specific subject.
Romantasy: A genre-blending romance with magical or adventurous elements.
Slop: Low-quality content generated by artificial intelligence.

Oxford University experts noted a 230% surge in the use of “brain rot” between 2023 and 2024, reflecting rising awareness of the mental health risks linked to endless scrolling through online content.

Cultural Insight
“Brain rot” encapsulates a deeper cultural critique of digital consumption. Kasper Gratwall, president of Oxford Languages, remarked:

Last year’s word, ‘rizz,’ showcased how online spaces shape our language. This year, ‘brain rot’ captures a warning about the digital world’s impact on our free time and well-being. It’s a logical next step in the conversation about technology and humanity.

Historical Roots and Modern Usage

The term dates back to 1845, appearing in Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. In his critique of intellectual decline, Thoreau lamented:

“While England is trying to cure the potato blight, will not someone try to cure the brain blight, which is far more prevalent and fatal?”

In today’s context, “brain rot” has found new resonance among younger generations, especially on TikTok and in digital journalism. Beyond its origins in casual slang, it now symbolises broader concerns over the psychological effects of exposure to harmful or superficial online material.

Global Trends in Word Selections

Oxford is not alone in highlighting linguistic trends. Earlier this year, Cambridge Dictionary chose “manifest” as its Word of the Year, while Collins English Dictionary selected “brat.”

“Brain rot,” however, stands out as a marker of our digital era—a phrase that captures both the allure and the potential hazards of the virtual spaces we navigate daily.

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Industry Uproar Over Reduction in Electric Vehicle Subsidies

by News Editor

April 26, 2025

The recent move by the government to curtail subsidies for electric vehicles has stirred significant discontent among car importers in Cyprus. The Department of Road Transport (DRT) has slashed available grants under the Electric Vehicle Promotion Scheme as of April 23, leading to a rapid depletion of the subsidy pool and leaving many potential applicants disappointed.

Importers’ Concerns

According to the Cyprus Motor Vehicle Importers Association (CMVIA), the lack of transparency and failure to engage stakeholders prior to the decision have eroded trust in the government’s commitments. Importers now find themselves facing a precarious situation, with substantial stocks of electric vehicles and mounting promotional expenditures.

Public Interest and EU Compliance

Although the scheme aimed to support the transition to zero-emission transport until 2025, the DRT states that the curtailing of funds was necessary to comply with European funding terms, which warned against delays in vehicle deliveries. This decision has fueled market uncertainty despite the application portal experiencing dynamic changes.

Industry’s Ongoing Demand

The CMVIA refutes any claims suggesting waning interest in electric vehicles, underscoring the rapid exhaustion of available grants as proof of substantial demand. They highlight the importance of meeting Cyprus’s green transition targets, including putting 80,000 electric vehicles on roads by 2030.

While the total budget for subsidies saw an increase to €36.5 million in 2023, thanks to additional funding, ongoing difficulties in timely vehicle distribution have led to premature closures of applications. In response, CMVIA has called for urgent dialogue with the Minister of Transport to reassess the decision, fearing that it could endanger the future of e-mobility in Cyprus.