Redefining language
linguistic limbo and uninspiration
My most generous (and critical) readers have been wondering where I’ve been, so I’m here to let you all know that lately I’ve been feeling incredibly uninspired. I’ll be honest with you though – it’s probably my fault.
Typically I find inspiration from the ridiculousness of the universe, current events, absurd TV shows, and things I write in my notes app when I’m really high, but lately I’ve been properly Maximizing My Productivity Yield instead. I’ve been going to pilates every Thursday, getting my 10,000 steps daily, logging my protein intake, and drinking approx. 2 cases of coconut LaCroix a week.
So while replenishing my soul and overall wellness I’ve been accidentally deplenishing my creative well, and for that I must apologize. I’m sorry!!! But both fortunately and unfortunately I’ve yet to have a lobotomy, so there’s still one thing on my squeaky clean, low-cortisol mind lately: Words don’t mean anything anymore.
My first piece of evidence: Tiktok theories
The amount of times a Tiktok starts with “have you guys heard of the ______ theory?” would make Aristotle weep, Plato gag, and Nietzsche appreciate the absurdity of contemporary social media culture.
“Have you heard of the alien, fish, bug theory?”
“The red nail theory?”
“The 7 friends theory?”
“The eating 12 grapes under a table at midnight on New Year’s Eve theory?”
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Back in the good ole days of which my recent lineage wasn’t even contemplated yet, a theory was a supposition intended to explain something that was then tested or proven by performing case studies, asking many people in a town square, or engaging in my favorite pastime: hours of lackadaisical contemplation. Today, you can just regurgitate something a stranger drunkenly told you at a house party one time into a time-tested “theory” all your followers should know about and use to categorize their friend group, get a husband, and/or/also/of course make their lives exponentially better. (If this sounds bitter or judgmental, don’t worry because I actually heard this theory that any time you criticize a social experience you’re actually engaging in dialectic criticism that redirects neural pathways and turns you into the sea slug of your friend group – the most important and responsible friend position.)
My second piece of evidence: “Gaslighting”
One little known fact about me that you wouldn’t have expected at all is I watch a lot of reality TV. Like if reality rots your brain, I am the first known case of walking, talking brain rot encased in human flesh. The one part of my brain that has yet to reach fully rotten levels includes the true definition of gaslighting, “using psychological methods into questioning their own sanity or powers of reasoning”, as well as the colloquial definition, “anything someone says to or about you that you don’t like.” Reality TV stars in particular love to weaponize their use of the term gaslighting to engage in emotional manipulation that is much closer to what gaslighting actually is. I like to call it petroleum-lighting – a destructive type of emotional manipulation made even more powerful due to it’s raw state.
My third piece of evidence: Kids can’t read or research
This might sound like an oversimplification but unfortunately a severe lack of reading comprehension is proving to be the new normal, particularly in the US. In 2019 results on both national and international exams showed Americans at either stagnant or declining reading performance, while in 2022, a Virginia study showed that reading levels were at a 20-year low. This is a problem that teachers have been turning to Tiktok to discuss over the last couple years and as Gen Z and Gen Alpha continue to get older and enter the workforce, we’re sure to feel the effects of this concerning reality.
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The logical implication of a lack of reading comprehension has resulted in a lack of research ability, interest, and awareness. I’m personally already feeling the effects of the lack of research skills already in every influencer’s comments section on my FYP. Even with all the fancy Smart House-esque technology available to us, most teens and young adults would not DARE to look something up themselves. It’s as if Google doesn’t exist. Actually, it’s as if the search bar is an entirely obsolete tool in this year of our lord 2024. Instead of searching “white tank tops” on the phones glued to their dominant hands, they beg and plead “where’s ur top from????” to every influencer within a digital 10 mile radius.
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It is – and I cannot stress this enough – your duty (nay, your right!!) as a human with moderate literacy and internet access to find answers to your own questions yourself. As long as you have Google lens, two thumbs, and a dream, I promise you’ll figure it out on your own.
My conclusion
The realization that words don’t really mean anything anymore was initially very upsetting to me, a world renowned lover of words, a top user of thesarus.com, and a virgo mercury (retrograde in my natal chart btw). But it’s also a uniquely inspiring position. As speakers of any language, we always have the right to definition and redefinition, so although our redefinition can at times seem flippant, perhaps we’re just in linguistic limbo. Obviously I love talking shit (and I’m good at it), but in terms of a long-term solution, understanding, or resolution the most important questions to ask are: When does the colloquial definition become the dictionary definition? Is one more important than the other? And crucially, Does Urban Dictionary even still exist?
While I’m presently struggling to be inspired, I still have many, many questions about what the fuck is going on in the world. For the next couple of weeks I’ll be in (read: in Mike the Situation’s accent) The Motherland (read: Italia) , so perhaps inspiration will abound when my blood is mostly olive oil.
More to come…