People who spend a significant amount of time on social media are noticing a growing overlap between the online and physical worlds. They’re calling this phenomenon “brain rot”. The concept stems from the belief that excessive internet use is deteriorating the mental abilities of frequent users who are chronically online. These individuals often use internet memes and slang terms extensively, even in face-to-face interactions.
For example, “Don’t you dare gatekeep you pick me, I do a GRWM for my OOTD, but I don’t have the proper ring light,” or “They tell me I need the TikTok shop pickle sweatshirt body con jumpsuit that keeps popping up”. Other users chimed in with comments like “I’d love to see pilgrims react to this” and “this video might kill a Victorian child.” These remarks refer to a popular thought experiment about how excessive exposure to online memes could overwhelm someone not used to them, potentially causing physical harm. lol. Ironically, these comments themselves could be seen as examples of brain rot since they rely on internet inside jokes and references.
But the absolute max level of brain rot someone could achieve is something Tiktok has labeled as “The Tiktok Rizz Party”. (Rizz is a Gen-Z/online term for being charming and having charisma).
If you’re wondering why everyone’s obsessed with teenagers dancing at a Sweet 16, you’ve come to the right place.
This week’s trending video on TikTok features a group of teenage boys dancing to Kanye West’s “Carnival” at what appears to be a sweet 16 party on the @islandentertainment account. Despite the accounts seemingly ordinary content, the video has exploded in popularity, gaining over 56 million views on TikTok since its posting on March 10. Its viral spread has even led to the emergence of a new academic field known as “Rizz Party analytics.”
With over 32,000 response videos on TikTok, viewers are dissecting every detail of the original video, assigning nicknames, crafting backstories, and even making edits about each and every one of these “characters”. The people in this group are the group leader (blue tie kid), white shirt kid, tomato boy (he’s very red in the face), Turkish Quandale Dingle and more. People on TikTok are making up stories and giving each person a role.
I hope that didn’t age you 30 years from reading all of that, but don’t you feel like your brain is rotting?! Avoiding brain rot involves being mindful of what media you consume. Taking control of your screen time can lead to better mental health and emotional stability. Here are some effective strategies: limit screen time, be mindful of what you consume, get a hobby, do a phone detox, or just get help!
