“We stay in the flow to not miss anything, but we miss the flow of real life.”

One of the most historic universities, Oxford University, annually selects the word of the year by publicly voting on the most used words of that year. In the 2024 vote, which drew 37,000 participants, the word of the year was brain rot, meaning mental decay. So, what is this brain rot?

This concept describes the negative impact of social media, seen as a silent threat of the digital age, and depicts how our minds are decaying because of constant exposure to low-quality, shallow content presented in quick-to-consume formats. As a result of the revenue models of popular social platforms, an endless pool of content creates a “I must not miss out on anything” feeling in users. This feeling keeps us in a constant flow of content. At the same time, app notifications aim to arouse our curiosity.

We stay in the feed to avoid missing something, but in doing so, we miss the flow of real life. This emotional state also paves the way for the consumption frenzy to somewhat encroach on our minds. As our minds continue to consume, they become blurred, and our ability to focus gradually diminishes.

On social media platforms, short stories shared by content creators that depict personal experiences are becoming increasingly popular. Instead of guiding viewers toward any particular thought, this type of content presents pleasure-focused snippets that position viewers as passive recipients. Another major factor contributing to mental cloudiness is the growing variety of platforms and the unrestricted access to social media, which, despite being harmful to human health, remains free from regulation.

The unlimited access to digital platforms leads to an increase in user numbers, expands the influence of “brain rot,” and is becoming a more destructive, rapidly growing societal problem. Social media addiction becomes a more serious problem on a global scale. While millions of people using social media feel its effects, many scientific studies also show that social media increases the risk of depression. Additionally, according to a 2023 study called Victims of Social Media by the University of Michigan, it is believed that approximately 70% of Generation Z is addicted to social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

“Social platforms shape people’s shared opinions, determine their conscious or unconscious inferences, and even influence what they consider important and how they should behave, thereby controlling us.”

One of the main reasons for this situation is the platforms’ commercial interests. Because the revenue models of these platforms rely on user data, they depend heavily on active user participation. As a result, platforms constantly release updates to keep users engaged and feed off each other. Following TikTok’s popularization of the short-form video format, Instagram integrated the format into its own platform under the name “Reels.”

While being exposed to a rapid and continuous flow of information, social media platforms, which make it feel as if it is possible to be “every moment, everywhere, and in every period of history,” compress the 24-hour flow of time into short time periods, causing a compression of time and space.

From the invention of perfume to the uncharted forests of the Amazon, it creates an illusion that feeds on mental decay by presenting different historical periods and locations one after another in just a few seconds. This situation transforms our perception and causes us to disconnect from real life.

According to research conducted by We Are Social in April 2025, there are 5.81 billion social media accounts. This accounts for 70.7% of the world population. The average screen time is 2 hours 21 minutes. Additionally, the data from this research only covers social media users aged 18 and above. In Türkiye, this duration can extend up to 2 hours 48 minutes. As the statistics also show, social media platforms are increasingly consuming more of our time each day, accelerating our consumption habits.

Social platforms shape people’s shared opinions, determine their conscious or unconscious inferences, and even influence what they consider important and how they should behave, thereby controlling us.

One of the recent examples is the 2016 United States presidential election, where there were claims that Donald Trump manipulated the election through Facebook. These platforms surround us, draw us in, and even exploit our data access preferences to develop marketing strategies. In fact, these are the fundamental requirements for their existence. Day by day, even if we don’t physically decay, we are mentally deteriorating due to the social media content we are exposed to without realizing it. That’s why the concept of “Brain Rot” defines the year 2024.

Characteristics of Brain Rot

We have asked ChatGPT if the concept of “Brain Rot” were a person, what kind of person would it be, and what would it look like? The following paragraphs are the direct excerpts of its answers which are: I would feel sorry for this person because it seemed like they had been overwhelmed by the pace of the modern world and the digital flow, living with a constantly diminishing energy. They were distant from deep thinking, always consuming something but never truly satisfied. It looked like they were trying to find themselves, but they were getting more lost in reality day by day.

At the same time, I would feel a bit worried. Because this person had the potential to spread the same exhaustion and carelessness to the people around them. I felt like this person was stealing something from both their own life and those around them.

But perhaps what I would wonder most is: Can this person truly stop, take a breath, and try to listen to their own mental silence? Can Brain rot, with a little courage, fill that void? Or would this cycle of consumption become their lifestyle forever? Watching this person would be both tragic and thought-provoking.

From the Author’s Perspective I am aware of the irony that the technology we sometimes criticize is also criticizing us. Ultimately, we are being belittled by a technology we ourselves have developed. The questions that artificial intelligence is asking us, I now ask you as well. “Will this cycle of consumption continue to surround us with false happiness and keep rotting our brains until the end of our lives?”.

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