TEDx Talks - How social media is changing how you talk | Adam Aleksic | TEDxPenn
The speaker explores the emergence of the word "unalive" as a euphemism for "kill," driven by TikTok's algorithmic censorship. This reflects a broader trend where social media platforms shape language by promoting certain words to avoid content suppression. The speaker highlights how algorithms accelerate the spread of slang, such as the viral "Rizzler" song, which popularized terms like "Riz" and "skibidi." These platforms reward repetition and engagement, leading to rapid dissemination of new words. The speaker also discusses the commercialization of language, where algorithms create niche identities like "cottagecore" to target specific consumer groups. This process can dilute the original cultural significance of words, particularly those from marginalized communities. Despite concerns about language corruption, the speaker argues that these trends follow historical patterns of language evolution and emphasizes the importance of being aware of how algorithms influence our speech.
Key Points:
- Social media algorithms drive language change by promoting euphemisms like "unalive" to avoid censorship.
- Platforms like TikTok accelerate slang spread, as seen with the viral "Rizzler" song and terms like "Riz."
- Algorithms create niche identities (e.g., "cottagecore") to target consumers, affecting language commercialization.
- The appropriation of slang from marginalized communities can dilute cultural significance.
- Awareness of algorithmic influence on language is crucial to understanding modern speech dynamics.
Details:
1. 🔍 Understanding "Unalive" as a Euphemism
- 80% of the audience is familiar with 'unalive' as a synonym for 'kill', indicating widespread recognition of the term.
- 40-50% of the audience has heard 'unalive' being used in person, suggesting its prevalence in everyday language.
- The term 'unalive' is often used in digital and social media contexts to avoid platform censorship, reflecting its strategic use in communication.
2. 📚 Historical Context of Euphemisms in Language
- The term 'unalive' is frequently used among seventh and eighth graders in informal contexts, showing up in essays and classroom discussions about complex topics such as death, as seen in literary works like 'Hamlet'.
- A survey of more than a thousand middle school teachers reveals that 'unalive' is often used by students to discuss sensitive topics, as it feels less intimidating than terms like 'dead'.
- Historically, euphemisms for death have been prevalent, such as the Latin 'deus' used in place of 'mor', the word for death, indicating a long-standing effort to soften the concept of mortality.
- Unlike traditional euphemisms such as 'deceased', 'unalive' reflects a contemporary linguistic trend, adapting language to suit modern sensibilities and communication platforms.
3. 📱 TikTok's Role in Modern Language Evolution
- TikTok's algorithm suppresses posts that might violate its Community Guidelines, prompting users to develop alternative language, such as using 'unalive' instead of 'kill'.
- Social media algorithms are catalyzing a new era of language change by influencing both word creation and daily usage, with TikTok at the forefront.
- A study revealed that 40% of surveyed users have altered their language usage due to social media influences, showcasing TikTok's significant impact.
4. 🎵 Viral Trends and Their Linguistic Impact
4.1. Impact of the 'Rizzler' Song
4.2. Broader Implications for Language
5. 🏷️ Algorithm-Driven Identity and Cultural Shifts
- Influencers utilize algorithmic tricks to engage audiences, which directly benefits their financial goals by increasing engagement rates and visibility.
- TikTok algorithms drive the popularity of niche aesthetics like 'Cottage core' and 'Goblin core' by identifying and promoting these as trending metadata, thereby influencing cultural trends.
- Users are encouraged by algorithms to adopt hyper-compartmentalized identities through specific aesthetics. This results in more personalized and commercialized content, effectively shaping consumer behavior.
- TikTok’s business platform identifies subcultures as new demographics, allowing businesses to target and profit from identity-driven labels. This is an example of how platforms commercialize cultural shifts.
- The algorithm significantly influences user identities by encouraging purchases related to their chosen aesthetics, demonstrating a strong link between identity formation and consumer behavior.
6. 🗣️ Appropriation of Slang and Cultural Implications
6.1. Niche Communities and Language Evolution
6.2. Harmful Appropriation of Language
6.3. Slang Spread and Social Media Dynamics
6.4. Cultural Origins and Misappropriation
7. 🌀 Navigating Language Changes with Awareness
- The appropriation of African-American English is a longstanding issue, with examples like 'cool' and 'high five' becoming mainstream over time, driven by social media algorithms.
- Social media algorithms create and expand communities, facilitating the spread of language innovations such as 'un alive', 'Cottage core', 'Sigma', and 'gach'.
- Concerns about language degradation and cultural appropriation are not new and follow historical patterns, with younger generations consistently introducing new slang as part of identity formation.
- Commercialization of language is not a new phenomenon, with brand names like 'Kleenex' and 'Google' already integrated into everyday conversation.
- Slang often serves as a tool for mocking or challenging certain ideologies, such as incel rhetoric, rather than promoting them.
- Awareness of how language is influenced by algorithms, commercialization, and potentially harmful rhetoric is crucial for understanding cultural dynamics.
- Understanding atmology, or the study of language evolution, aids in comprehending contemporary identity and societal values.