More Than Brain Rot?

More than Brain Rot? Youth Pastors, Teachers, and Parents Confusion to Understand Gen Z and Alpha Slang is Not Something New. 

Before you make fun of this generation of young people by rolling your eyes in person or posting a snarky video online, stop and consider some things.  Especially if you are going to be an effective influence on this generation, you need to understand and accept them, even their words.

Slang words and language evolve within generations due to a combination of social, cultural, and psychological factors. Each generation faces unique societal challenges, technologies, and cultural shifts, all of which influence how they communicate.

Let’s break this down, particularly focusing on Generation Z (born roughly 1997-2012) and Generation Alpha (born roughly 2013-2025).

• Social Factors
  • Identity and Group Membership: Slang often helps individuals, particularly young people, assert their identity and align themselves with a specific group. For Gen Z and Alpha, using unique language or slang is a way to create an in-group identity distinct from (You) the older generations. It marks belonging to a particular age group or social circle, fostering a sense of community.
  • Influence of Social Media: Social media platforms (TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat) amplify the speed at which new slang spreads. For Gen Z and Alpha, who are digital natives, these platforms are primary modes of communication, and they naturally incorporate the rapidly changing language trends found online into their everyday speech.
•  Cultural Factors
  • Pop Culture and Entertainment: Gen Z and Alpha are heavily influenced by online trends, memes, and internet culture, which rapidly produce and popularize new slang. For example, phrases like “lit,” “savage,” or “yes” were popularized through viral videos and memes and became part of everyday language for a quick minute.
  • Globalization: With greater access to global content, these generations are exposed to a wider range of cultural influences. Slang terms might be borrowed from different languages or cultural references, reflecting the increasingly globalized world they are growing up in.
•  Psychological Factors
  • Desire for Novelty: Young people often seek novelty and innovation as a way to differentiate themselves from older generations. Creating new slang is a form of rebellion and a way to assert independence. It also satisfies the human brain’s desire for novelty, which is especially strong in younger individuals.
  • Cognitive Development: Adolescents’ and young adults’ brains are in a stage of rapid development where the need for social belonging is heightened. This stage also involves experimenting with identity, which is often reflected in the language they use. Slang becomes a tool for testing boundaries and establishing personal and group identity.

Examples from Gen Z and Alpha:

• Gen Z: Terms like “ghosting” (suddenly cutting off communication with someone), “cancel culture” (withdrawing support for public figures due to controversial behavior), and “vibe check” (assessing someone’s mood or the atmosphere of a situation) reflect both the digital nature of their social interactions and their cultural preoccupations with social justice and mental health.
• Gen Alpha: As this generation is still developing its unique identity, its slang is heavily influenced by technology, such as “AFK” (Away From Keyboard) or “noob” (newbie in gaming). They also adopt terms from Gen Z, but the evolution of language is expected to continue as they grow older and create their unique cultural markers.

Every generation develops its own slang as a response to their time’s social, cultural, and psychological conditions. You did the same thing; do not forget that, and so did the generation before you and before you.  So before you call it “Brain Rot” or make fun of your students, remember- for Gen Z and Alpha, the influence of digital technology, social media, globalized culture, and a strong desire for novelty and group identity drives their unique language’s continuous creation and evolution.