Brainrot: the addictive spiral of endless scrolling

Another word of the year is here. Let’s take a cognitive look at what it means.

Oxford University Press has just announced brainrot as the word of the year, it ties in nicely with the Macquarie Dictionary word of 2024 enshittification in a cynical spin on all things digital.

Brainrot is “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging.”

Apparently, the word has seen a 230% increase in usage between 2023 and 2024. Perhaps, as well as all the endless scrolling we do, the rise of AI-generated content has added to this wasteland.

As the mental health of an entire generation is on the line, the most surprising element of this is the glorification of brainrot. TikTok fans promote endless scrolling challenges, celebrate content that revels in doing nothing, and even create comedy sketches about being brain-dead.

Overexposure to sensationalist content, overstimulation, and the glorification of "rot" itself are everywhere. Platforms themselves are naturally designed to promote endless scrolling.

Like a bottomless coffee, Instagram and TikTok keep up the pour and never stop – unlike the morning newspaper of yesteryear, which had an endpoint.

As Yuval Noah Harari explained about the word "excited," being constantly overstimulated or on the edge is not always a positive thing. It’s actually harmful to the nervous system.

He illustrated how this can lead to fatigue and eventual collapse, whether for an individual or indeed a whole society or civilization.

Quick dopamine hits are what brainrotters crave and viral trends are what Gen Z and Alpha are constantly chasing.

After having a quick conversation recently about brain chemicals with a teenage group of students I teach, they had no idea whatsoever what dopamine or cortisol are. However, they were intimately familiar with “brain rot.” Dark times.

So, who profits from brainrot? Well, social media platforms and broadcasters like Netflix aim to keep you hooked, even at the expense of your mental health.

And it’s all over the world. For example, in China ,where they have a 996 work culture (12-hour workdays, six days a week) it is quite common to lay on the bed after work and scroll. Bringing home the bacon? More like bringing home the brainrot.

You scroll, you buy

Brainrot is ultimately about profit. The longer you’re passively scrolling through the quagmire of content, the more dollars line the pockets of these algorithm overlords. Everything is reactionary. Tap. Like. Scroll. Swipe. Ping. Post. Tap. Rot.

And, the longer people scroll, the more ads they see. The more burnout they have, the more likely they are to impulse buy a hamster hoodie or pickle lip balm. So, what we’re effectively doing as consumers is engaging in hours of endless, low-stakes behaviour, without even a conscious intention or end goal.

In fact, the looping nature of 15-second shorts reflects the larger vicious cycle at play – the same teenage group I mentioned often glamorizes the fact that they got only 4 or 5 hours of sleep. Chronic rot.

So, can technology fight back and help mitigate this putrefaction? Well, it’s not certain that wellness apps can really be the tonic for this issue. Wellness apps like Forest and Stay Focused may warn you about overuse, but it feels a bit like hiring a fox to guard the henhouse.

It seems we’re on the precipice of being entirely consumed by the vortex, as VR, AR, and AI tighten their grip. But this isn’t entirely new – Americans already watch around three hours of TV daily. We previously had gaming-console brainrot, Candy Crush brainrot, and now we have TikTok brainrot.

Though it might sound cliché, setting boundaries is one of the best options. A little self-discipline can go a long way—try breaking your time into 15-minute blocks if you're a stickler for structure. Go to the toilet first thing in the morning. After 15 minutes, take a break and do something else.

What to do with that time? How about mindfulness—whether you're in nature or just at home. If you're keen on alkalizing the digital poison with an app, Calm, Headspace, or Forest can help.

Another approach is to gradually reduce your screen time week by week. And to make it sweeter, treat yourself to a little reward—like a cup of hot chocolate—each time you hit a milestone.

Click. Play. Add. Watch. Stare. Loop. Ping. Ding.

Eat an avocado.