Oxford’s Word of the Year: A Cultural Reflection

Since 2004, Oxford University Press has been selecting a “word of the year,” drawing from English-speaking news sources. Speaker and author Abdu Murray explains that these selections aren’t just about language; they provide insight into societal values and concerns.

The annual Word of the Year acts like a cultural MRI, offering a glimpse into what society fears, desires, and holds on to. If we look at the chosen words from 2016 to 2025, they convey a narrative of what’s often called “reality collapse.” This refers to a growing difficulty in perceiving the world clearly, unclouded by algorithms and our own biases.

It all started in 2016 with “post-truth,” capturing a moment where emotions were starting to overshadow factual information. The term didn’t just highlight careless thinking; it indicated a desire to assert control over our reality, suggesting that personal feelings could redefine truth.

The following year introduced “earthquake of youth,” a term reflecting a surge of young activists who believed they could reshape social and political landscapes. Now, almost a decade later, those same young people have matured; we are past the initial excitement, yet we find ourselves in a world where this reality crisis is intensifying.

In 2022, the word “goblin mode” emerged, representing a cultural acceptance of laziness and a retreat from discipline and ambition. Fast forward to 2023, and the performance-driven identity of “Liz” surfaced, mirroring the nature of content curated for digital platforms. As for 2024, “my brain rots” confirmed what many already knew: incessant scrolling and constant engagement with digital content are diminishing the cognitive capacities of younger generations.

Now, in 2025, “bait for anger” is the current Word of the Year. This term encapsulates content designed to provoke outrage, aligning individuals with specific ideologies in the digital sphere. Exaggerations and falsehoods become our new norm, making disagreement seem irrational and nuance a betrayal. The runner-up, “aura farming,” addresses the detrimental efforts young people exert to craft an appealing online persona, reliant on social validation.

While “bait for anger” shapes perceptions, “aura farming” enslaves individual identities. This duality forces the youth into a perpetual cycle of self-construction, where their self-worth hinges on the performance of their online persona.

Interestingly, Christianity proposes a liberating alternative. The rising interest in the Bible may stem from the assertion that our identities should not be subject to continuous self-reinvention; instead, they are inherently given. Humans are created with dignity and purpose, free from the pressures of selective existence and the demands of the online attention economy.

In this context, truth isn’t about subjective feelings, but rather about people. Jesus is presented as the anchor of reality—constant and compassionate. He invites us to confront and understand the world authentically, pushing back against manipulative algorithms and shallow trends.

Reflecting on the past decade, it’s clear that when we let anger and curated identities dictate our reality, we risk fragmentation. But rooting ourselves in a better understanding, such as that found in God’s design, empowers us to engage thoughtfully and build true connections.

With this foundation, we can recognize the importance of seeing clearly, thinking independently, and acting genuinely. We are more than just conditioned beings; we are unique individuals called to transcend the chaos of our current reality.

This commentary draws from Abdu Murray’s forthcoming book, “Fake ID: How AI and Identity Ideology Are Disrupting Reality – And What to Do About It.”