By Paul Wallis
DIGITAL JOURNAL
December 10, 2024
Australian legislation could force social media firms to take steps to prevent those under 16 years of age from accessing platforms such as X, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram - Copyright GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File Michael M. Santiago
“Brain rot” is the effect of too much information. Doomscrolling is one of the symptoms. According to The Guardian, this 20-plus-year-old expression is finally getting proper recognition.
It’s hard to argue that most of the “information” is anything but rot. The sheer scale and scope of bot-babble is a statistician’s horror story. The brain rot experience is extremely stressful and destructive.
That’s not quite the whole story. As a notation on a tombstone, “brain rot” would be very appropriate. As The Guardian article points out, this utter drivel is also linked to profit; we all know how well that works out.
There are a few flaws in the general theory of brain rot, though, despite the United States, X, FOX News, and similar irreproachable fountains of fecal fabrication.
The major flaw is a hard fact of marketing and advertising, and it also applies to social media and mainstream fantasyland.
In advertising, the brain automatically turns off about 95% of the advertising it sees. The information is either irrelevant or simply useless.
For example – Non-existent pet-eating Ohioans aren’t exactly urgent information.
This turnoff process then evolves into actual aversion. The sources are irritating if identified as serial offenders. People start to actively dislike the sources.
These sources can also easily discredit themselves, although that can take time.
At this point, 5% at most of the information is getting through to the audience. That’s a problem for the source. One counter to this underwhelming level of performance is repetition. Just keep on lying, in effect.
However, with today’s fashionable non-stick human brains, even that message may not stay in place too long.
Brain rot in one sense can solve itself. At a certain level of irritation, the negative reaction to information swamps its source.
One of the quick ways of infuriating anyone is to tell a person with a problem that they don’t have a problem. Try telling them it doesn’t hurt when it does.
Peer group psychology is prevalent in misinformation. The information works on the lowest common denominator. American psychology is one of the great exponents of peer group psychology, and it works all too well.
It’s how kids are taught to fit in with people they can’t stand in places they detest. It’s highly oppressive.
“Public opinion” is easy to selectively misrepresent on the same basis. Someone else thinks something, so if you’re in the same demographic, you must think that, too. You all have to fit in, like corpses in a mass grave.
It’s utter garbage, of course, and always has been, but they’re selling it.
I’ve always found peer group psychology extremely repulsive. I think people who respond to it are extremely naïve.
It’s exceptionally common on social media. Hordes of people fearlessly agreeing with each other. There’s nothing at all likely about any number of humans agreeing so much with each other about anything.
As an expression, “brain rot” is right on the money. It’s a rotting edifice of total nonsense. It’s doing untold damage to humanity, and nobody has the guts to shut it down.
The question is what happens when brains refuse to rot? Peer groups can react negatively, too, and violently.
Exactly how dumb can you afford people to be? The bottom of the barrel is making noises already.
Disclaimer
The opinions expressed in this Op-Ed are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Digital Journal or its members.
December 10, 2024
Australian legislation could force social media firms to take steps to prevent those under 16 years of age from accessing platforms such as X, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram - Copyright GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File Michael M. Santiago
“Brain rot” is the effect of too much information. Doomscrolling is one of the symptoms. According to The Guardian, this 20-plus-year-old expression is finally getting proper recognition.
It’s hard to argue that most of the “information” is anything but rot. The sheer scale and scope of bot-babble is a statistician’s horror story. The brain rot experience is extremely stressful and destructive.
That’s not quite the whole story. As a notation on a tombstone, “brain rot” would be very appropriate. As The Guardian article points out, this utter drivel is also linked to profit; we all know how well that works out.
There are a few flaws in the general theory of brain rot, though, despite the United States, X, FOX News, and similar irreproachable fountains of fecal fabrication.
The major flaw is a hard fact of marketing and advertising, and it also applies to social media and mainstream fantasyland.
In advertising, the brain automatically turns off about 95% of the advertising it sees. The information is either irrelevant or simply useless.
For example – Non-existent pet-eating Ohioans aren’t exactly urgent information.
This turnoff process then evolves into actual aversion. The sources are irritating if identified as serial offenders. People start to actively dislike the sources.
These sources can also easily discredit themselves, although that can take time.
At this point, 5% at most of the information is getting through to the audience. That’s a problem for the source. One counter to this underwhelming level of performance is repetition. Just keep on lying, in effect.
However, with today’s fashionable non-stick human brains, even that message may not stay in place too long.
Brain rot in one sense can solve itself. At a certain level of irritation, the negative reaction to information swamps its source.
One of the quick ways of infuriating anyone is to tell a person with a problem that they don’t have a problem. Try telling them it doesn’t hurt when it does.
Peer group psychology is prevalent in misinformation. The information works on the lowest common denominator. American psychology is one of the great exponents of peer group psychology, and it works all too well.
It’s how kids are taught to fit in with people they can’t stand in places they detest. It’s highly oppressive.
“Public opinion” is easy to selectively misrepresent on the same basis. Someone else thinks something, so if you’re in the same demographic, you must think that, too. You all have to fit in, like corpses in a mass grave.
It’s utter garbage, of course, and always has been, but they’re selling it.
I’ve always found peer group psychology extremely repulsive. I think people who respond to it are extremely naïve.
It’s exceptionally common on social media. Hordes of people fearlessly agreeing with each other. There’s nothing at all likely about any number of humans agreeing so much with each other about anything.
As an expression, “brain rot” is right on the money. It’s a rotting edifice of total nonsense. It’s doing untold damage to humanity, and nobody has the guts to shut it down.
The question is what happens when brains refuse to rot? Peer groups can react negatively, too, and violently.
Exactly how dumb can you afford people to be? The bottom of the barrel is making noises already.
Disclaimer
The opinions expressed in this Op-Ed are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Digital Journal or its members.
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