KLIK SAJA - Two years ago, the social media world was rocked by the emergence of Skibidi Toilet—an absurd and repulsive piece of content that, surprisingly, became a hit among children.
Today, a similar phenomenon is making waves again, known widely as "anomaly content."
One example is the character Tung-Tung Sahur, an ambiguous, club-like creature that wakes people up for pre-dawn meals with strange sounds and visuals.
Though seemingly shallow and low in quality, such content has the power to captivate viewers for hours, often without them realizing how much time has passed.
Many experts refer to this phenomenon as a symptom of brain rot.
Brain rot is more than just a trendy internet term—it represents a decline in intellectual capacity caused by excessive consumption of low-quality digital content.
The explosion of absurd short videos, unfiltered media, and the widespread culture of doomscrolling have led people to watch endlessly, consuming shallow entertainment with little to no educational value.
According to the 2024 Data Reportal, the global average screen time now reaches 6 hours and 40 minutes per day, and up to 9 hours for Gen Z.
Since 2013, this number has steadily increased. While it may seem normal in the digital age, overexposure to mindless content can actually impair focus, reduce cognitive performance, and weaken critical thinking skills.
Interestingly, the term brain rot first appeared in 1854 in Henry David Thoreau’s book Walden, where he criticized society’s shift toward superficial entertainment that dulls the mind.
Now, the phrase has resurged in popularity among Gen Z and Gen Alpha on social media, and in 2024, it was officially added to the Oxford Dictionary.
Medically speaking, brain rot isn’t a formal diagnosis. However, a 2021 study published in Translational Psychiatry links smartphone addiction with reduced attention and cognitive control.
The part of the brain responsible for concentration—specifically the inferior parietal lobule—becomes less active, making it harder for individuals to focus and more prone to distractions.
So, how can we combat brain rot?
