A 15-second video could change the linguistics of future society. Brain rot, implemented through social media, is a slang term for intelligence decreasing due to rapid low effort media. It is the new language of the new generation. Gibberish with no real definition could suddenly mean something else entirely–and you might not even know it.
Words such as “skibidi” and “six-seven” are probably phrases that you have heard before, but what do they mean? This movement of new language could be compared to how Shakespeare created slang of his own to express what could not be expressed. It is a new way of speaking, affecting how people communicate. Brain rot sets a divide between generations, with millennials being more corporate speakers while Gen Z is less formal.
A simple brain rot term can be created by anyone and go viral due to social media’s high influence on people. For example, the word “skibidi” came from a video of an eerie looking toilet with a head popping out, dancing to a song. It triggered a surge of interest in similar media with an influx of videos depicting the same animation, but in different formats.
Eventually, this developed into the word “skibidi,” meaning cool or awesome. It is used as a filler word to describe almost anything. Another example is the repurposing of the word, “sigma,” which is a Greek alphabet letter, now used to describe independence or success.
In addition, brain rot terms can be combined to create hybrid meanings. An example is Sigma rizz, meaning that someone is confident and is able to flirt well. Even ordinary numbers like sixty-seven and forty-one become more than just numbers; recently, they have become internet sensations. The term six-seven coins from a song called “Doot Doot” by Skrilla, which was popularized by TikTok.
“I think that brain rot is just general social media culture such as scrolling and being on your phone. It creates a sense of shared language like specific memes such as six-seven,” said Cory Nelson, a Social Sciences teacher.
“Teachers are trying everything in their arsenals to try to get students to read literature–serious books–and to express themselves in a coherent and educated manner,” said Spanish teacher Armando Castillo. Ultimately, the desire and will to read, speak and write at an advanced level cannot be forced upon students–the students themselves must have the inner desire to elevate their English skills,” he said.
Now, when the numbers six and seven are mentioned in classes, public settings, or even just daily conversations, a storm of giggles and laughter erupts. You may be wondering what six-seven means but, there really is no true meaning behind it.
Christopher Laszlo ’27 said, “I think it is a cultural exaggeration because brain rot brings on creativity in a person. It makes people think less formally.”
Brain rot is changing future generations’ language by altering slang and common styles of communication. Its popularity spreads quickly through social media, and not knowing these terms makes it seem like you are “missing out.” It is an endless cycle of words gaining new definitions outside of dictionaries. New words constantly emerge, evolving people’s vernacular and eventually spreading from Gen Z to older generations as well. For example, a history teacher loves to say six-seven even though he is a millennial.
If we can slow down the consumption of screen time, then maybe we can reverse the infection of brain rot to our brain cells.
