Brain Rot

Those who travel will find many fools, backward individuals, and barefoot people in the streets, along with other frightening sights and strange phenomena. However, the average Arab who has never traveled and has formed his views of the Western world through social media and Hollywood movies will naturally view himself with a sense of deficiency, disgust, self-contempt, and disdain for his environment.

Are we suffering from “brain rot”? We are immersed in social media and have come to rely on programs that think on our behalf, becoming attracted to sensational headlines wrapped in the guise of artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, some people believe these claims without scrutiny, just as Iranian media does against Kuwait today.

“Brain rot” is a common term used to describe the potential negative effects of overconsumption of fast-paced or low-value digital content, especially short clips on social media, or what we now call Reels. There are studies examining phenomena associated with so-called brain rot, and science supports aspects of these studies. These phenomena include weakened or scattered attention, mental fatigue, difficulty concentrating for long periods, addiction to endless scrolling, impacts on working memory and decision-making, as well as the link between excessive social media use and increased levels of anxiety and depression in some individuals.

However, evidence suggests that overconsumption of fast-paced content and repeated rewards may affect the ability to sustain deep focus. In such cases, surgeons, for example, might consider avoiding excessive consumption of these clips. Moreover, this type of content reduces patience for reading or long-term learning. I must admit that I personally sometimes need to reduce my engagement with it. Some studies also indicate its impact on critical and analytical thinking abilities.

I fear that by saying this, I am becoming a joy-killer or a dopamine destroyer, as if I am urging people to return to the era of long videos and boring content. Some may think I do not want people to benefit from educational, health, or guidance-oriented clips, but the opposite is true. Here, precisely, we find the most suitable and realistic solution for all of us: integrating with this type of content in a healthy and balanced way. This involves setting specific times during the day for watching short clips, strengthening family ties, intensifying face-to-face meetings and genuine human interaction, and rediscovering the pleasure of audible and visible dialogue instead of living in isolation behind four walls and a small phone screen.

I also cannot deny that some clips provide me with genuine psychological relief, which I sometimes need when feeling angry or stressed—such as home cleaning videos, clips showing a bully getting his comeuppance, or even quick cooking videos that made me believe traditional television cooking shows should end immediately.

There are many clips that give me a strange sense of satisfaction and comfort, and I do not fully understand the reason behind it. Yet, we truly live in a world that spins at an astonishing speed, a speed that almost resembles the rotation of gases in the universe...