←back to thread

Why the numbers 6-7 are driving math teachers up the wall

(www.npr.org)
14 points ikeashark | 3 comments | 20 Oct 25 15:15 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
Show context
graypegg ◴[20 Oct 25 16:05 UTC] No.45645479[source]▶
> Some language experts say it is not brain rot

What do these language experts call "brain rot"? We're sorting things into brain-rot/not brain-rot now? I do know the definition in a you-know-it-when-you-see-it sort of sense... but I don't think "language experts" should be that dismissive of anything they haven't heard.

If you keep telling kids their brains are rotted out and some arbitrary subset of things they think are fun are signs of literal cognitive decline, they're either going to embrace it to mess with you or be depressed. Here's hoping it's the former! Gen alpha punk is going to be an insane scene once they grow up and realize how narrow the path their parents laid for them is, and I'm (selfishly) hoping we get some kick-ass music from it. ;)

replies(3): >>45645686 #>>45646291 #>>45648673 #
1. Bender ◴[20 Oct 25 17:04 UTC] No.45646291[source]▶
Meme Slang [1]. Some day it will be replaced by a new old word. Looking forward to what gen Beta comes up with. New parents, start the subliminal training now.

[1] - https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=brain%20rot

replies(1): >>45646571 #
2. graypegg ◴[20 Oct 25 17:25 UTC] No.45646571[source]▶
Fair point! I think it just feels a little more… mean?

Slang is a value judgement on the word, but no one is a “slanger”. So at least that works fine for talking about language without setting some cultural standard that people using slang are “bad”, just that slang is “bad” and the connection is left up to the gullible reader.

“Brain rot” is a funny over exaggeration, but it’s also talking about the person. Someone/some generation HAS brain rot, which is much more explicit. The tone feels off for a field studying language.

I think all things considered, Gen Alpha is dealing with the nihilism thrown their way alright, laughing through it all is all you can do sometimes

replies(1): >>45646603 #
3. Bender ◴[20 Oct 25 17:28 UTC] No.45646603[source]▶
Fair point! I think it just feels a little more… mean?

It is somewhat a pejorative. It's just a matter of time before gen Beta start getting called "Betas". If I find a word to be cringe inducing I just replace it on the fly using FoxReplace. [1] Quoting the replaced words can be interpreted in many ways.

[1] - https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/foxreplace/