November 25th 2024.
"Enshittification" - a rather harsh term used to describe the gradual decline of a product or service, such as social media, due to companies prioritizing profit over the well-being of their users - has been crowned the 2024 Word of the Year by the prestigious Macquarie Dictionary. This selection process has been a tradition since 2006, with the chosen word typically reflecting a term that has gained significant cultural and social relevance.
Last year's winning word was the amusing "Cossie livs", a play on the commonly used phrase "cost of living". However, this year, the committee at Macquarie Dictionary felt that "enshittification" better captured the current state of affairs. Despite not being a commonly used term, the committee believes it truly resonates with the general public.
According to the committee, "enshittification" accurately captures the feeling that many of us have towards the world and the various aspects of our lives. We have all experienced situations where companies prioritize their profits over our satisfaction, and this word perfectly encapsulates that frustration. As Victoria Morgan, the managing editor of Macquarie Dictionary, explained, "All the streaming channels making us pay extra to avoid ads is a prime example of enshittification."
She further elaborated, "It's usually associated with companies that initially attract customers with their promises, but then quickly find ways to squeeze more money out of them." This sentiment is shared by many, making "enshittification" a fitting choice for the Word of the Year.
Moving on to other notable mentions by the committee, "right to disconnect" made the shortlist, referring to the right of employees to disconnect from work-related communication during their personal time. Another interesting term that caught their attention was "rawdogging", a word used to describe the act of taking a long flight without any electronic devices or reading material.
Among the shortlisted words, "brainrot" stood out as a term used to describe low-quality or valueless content found on the internet. In contrast, "sigma" is a slang term used to describe someone who is self-sufficient and values their solitude. These words reflect the evolving landscape of our society and the impact of technology on our lives.
While Macquarie Dictionary announced "enshittification" as the 2024 Word of the Year, the Australian National Dictionary Centre, located at the Australian National University, recently declared "Colesworth" as their chosen word for the year. This word is a clever combination of Australia's two largest supermarket chains, Coles and Woolworths.
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