Şeyma Filiz
Oxford has announced its Word of the Year for 2024: Brain rot. This term points to a growing concern in today’s digital world—the erosion of mental clarity caused by endless streams of trivial, repetitive content. It’s a stark reflection of how our hyperconnected age can drain focus, creativity, and depth of thought.
It reminded me of 2016, when post-truth was named Word of the Year, signaling a shift away from objective facts toward emotional and subjective narratives. Since then, terms like misinformation, echo chambers, and digital burnout have emerged as part of our vocabulary, each representing the challenges of navigating an information-saturated world.
With every new concept, we’ve seen solutions proposed: fact-checking, digital literacy campaigns, and algorithms to combat misinformation. Yet, while these efforts are important, they often treat the symptoms rather than addressing the root causes of our collective disconnection. They fail to foster a language of resilience and hope—one that inspires progress rather than amplifying despair.
This is where constructive journalism offers a meaningful path forward.
Constructive Journalism: A Light in the Darkness
Constructive journalism emerges as an antidote to the often pessimistic and crisis-focused nature of traditional media. Rather than amplifying problems, it reframes challenges as opportunities, exploring solutions and presenting actionable pathways forward.
As McIntyre and Gyldensted (2017) define it:
“Constructive journalism is an emerging form of journalism that aims to enhance well-being and engagement by focusing on solutions to problems and providing context and inspiration for positive change, while adhering to core journalistic principles of accuracy and fairness.”
This approach doesn’t deny reality; instead, it complements traditional reporting by balancing stories of progress, innovation, and resilience with the necessary critiques of societal issues. Media, when guided by this approach, can be more than a mirror reflecting challenges—it can be a compass pointing toward solutions.
Oxford’s tradition of selecting a “Word of the Year” often reflects societal crises, from climate emergency in 2019 to brain rot in 2024. These words don’t just highlight challenges; they also present an opportunity to rethink how we tell and consume stories.
Words That Reflect Our Times
Oxford’s “Word of the Year” tradition offers a unique lens to examine how language mirrors societal shifts over time. Each selected word captures the essence of its era, spotlighting the cultural, political, or social challenges that define it. From post-truth in 2016 to brain rot in 2024, these choices reveal an evolving narrative shaped by the complexities of the digital age.
The infographic below illustrates this journey, showcasing how words reflect not only our struggles but also our capacity to adapt and grow. As we explore these words, they offer insight into the changing dynamics of communication and society.
Building the Future with Words
Words in the digital age are more than reflections of our times; they are tools for shaping reality. This brings me to a thought: while we often practice affirmation as individuals—through positive thinking and dreaming—what would happen if we applied this collectively?
When media repeatedly amplifies despair, we unconsciously affirm the very outcomes we wish to avoid. Stories of wars, disasters, and crises dominate headlines, creating a snowball of hopelessness that drags us down. But constructive journalism can reverse this trend by fostering collective affirmation—stories that inspire action and resilience, reminding us that change is possible when we work together.
Perhaps one day, The Power of Affirmation could even become a Word of the Year, signaling a cultural shift toward solutions and positivity.
Creating a Snowball Effect of Change
Every story we tell contributes to the collective snowball of change. The question is: what are we feeding it? Are we adding the cold weight of despair, or are we nurturing it with warmth, hope, and solutions?
Constructive journalism has the power to reshape narratives and inspire progress. When communication is sincere, constructive, and solution-oriented, it builds bridges—not just between people but toward a better future.
The future isn’t something we wait for; it’s something we create, one story, one word, and one collective affirmation at a time.
So, I ask you again: Can structural, solution-focused communication help us overcome brain rot? Can we, together, build a brighter, more constructive future through the stories we choose to tell?
Şeyma Filiz 