"Brain rot" was chosen as the Word of the Year 2024 by Oxford, describing the decline in mental and intellectual abilities due to excessive consumption of low-quality or non-challenging digital content. In today's digital era, many people, especially children and teenagers, spend hours mindlessly scrolling through social media. If left unchecked, this habit can impair cognitive function, shorten attention spans, and weaken memory.
A study from Harvard found that excessive internet use can cause brain shrinkage, reduce memory retention, weaken critical thinking skills, and distort cognitive processes. These effects are especially concerning for children still in their developmental stages. Therefore, parents and educational institutions, including Christian schools, are crucial in preventing this phenomenon.
Christian schools play a strategic role in helping students develop critical thinking, enhance literacy, and build strong character. With a curriculum based on Christian values, these schools guide students to be more selective in consuming information and to avoid the negative effects of excessive technology use. Some ways Christian schools can help address brain rot among students include setting screen time limits in class, encouraging participation in physical activities such as sports and extracurriculars, promoting a culture of reading to strengthen memory and concentration, fostering discussions and reflections to enhance critical thinking skills, and emphasizing the importance of getting enough sleep (8-10 hours per day) to maintain brain health.
In this digital era, brain rot is a significant challenge that must be addressed. The negative impact of unproductive digital consumption can hinder intellectual and cognitive development. Through value-based education in Christian schools, students can be guided to use technology wisely, build healthy learning habits, and sharpen their minds. Let’s work together to ensure that the younger generation maintains sharp, critical thinking skills and strong character.
