Writer Thoreau warned of brain rot in 1854. Now it's the Oxford Word of 2024
Briefly

from www.npr.org3 months ago
Henry David Thoreau’s term "brain rot," introduced in his 1854 work 'Walden,' has resurfaced, reflecting contemporary concerns about cognitive dullness in the digital age.
www.npr.orghttps://www.npr.org/2024/12/02/nx-s1-5213682/writer-thoreau-warned-of-brain-rot-in-1854-now-its-the-oxford-word-of-2024
"Brain rot describes what happens to our minds and spirits when we suppress our innate instincts for curiosity and wonder," states Thoreau expert Cristin Ellis.
www.npr.orghttps://www.npr.org/2024/12/02/nx-s1-5213682/writer-thoreau-warned-of-brain-rot-in-1854-now-its-the-oxford-word-of-2024
Oxford's language experts noted a 230% increase in the term's usage from 2023 to 2024, especially among Gen Z and Gen Alpha online.
www.npr.orghttps://www.npr.org/2024/12/02/nx-s1-5213682/writer-thoreau-warned-of-brain-rot-in-1854-now-its-the-oxford-word-of-2024
Thoreau likened intellectual decay to potato-rot, emphasizing the need for mental clarity against societal oversimplification: "Why level downward to our dullest perception?"
www.npr.orghttps://www.npr.org/2024/12/02/nx-s1-5213682/writer-thoreau-warned-of-brain-rot-in-1854-now-its-the-oxford-word-of-2024
Read at www.npr.org
#henry-david-thoreau #brain-rot #walden #digital-age #gen-z
[
|
]