Writer Thoreau warned of brain rot in 1854. Now it’s the Oxford Word of 2024

"Brain rot" is the term of the year for 2024, referring to concerns that endlessly scrolling through social media videos and other content can cause harm. Here, TikTok

The term brain rot first appeared in Henry David Thoreau’s famous Walden, according to the Oxford University Press. How did he use it — and what might he have made of its modern meaning?

(Image credit: Michael Dwyer/AP)

The term brain rot first appeared in Henry David Thoreau’s famous Walden, according to the Oxford University Press. How did he use it — and what might he have made of its modern meaning?