BRAIN ROT

/BRAYN-raht/

Noun

Mental exhaustion due to excessive consumption of digital content (e.g. doomscrolling); Addictive or low quality online content that preoccupies an individual’s mental or emotional state

The term “brain rot” refers to the mental fatigue brought about by mindlessly scrolling on social media and overconsumption of addictive Internet content, particularly on platforms like TikTok. The constant binge-ing of short, fast-paced content (e.g. TikTok videos, reels) causes information overload, which leads to reduced attention span, slower brain function, or decline in critical thinking skills.

WHAT IS “BRAIN ROT”

ORIGIN

The earliest recorded usage of the term was found in Henry David Thoreau’s 1854 book Walden. Thoreau said: 

“While England endeavours to cure the potato rot, will not any endeavour to cure the brain-rot – which prevails so much more widely and fatally?”

In recent years, the term brain rot has become so widely used that Oxford University Press has named it the Word of the Year in 2024.

See Also

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The Oxford English Dictionary defines brain rot as “a perceived loss of intelligence or critical thinking skills… [due] to the overconsumption of unchallenging or inane content or material.”

EXAMPLES

“I have Pinoy Big Brother brain rot. Ever since the show ended, I’ve been rewatching clips on TikTok nonstop.”

“Vloggers trying Dubai chewy cookies are all over my news feed, it’s giving me a brain rot.”