Are We Cooked? How Social Media Shapes Language

Explore how social media algorithms are fundamentally reshaping modern language and identity through this 14-minute TED talk by linguist Adam Aleksic. Discover the origins and rapid popularization of Gen Z slang terms like "unalive," "skibidi," and "rizz," while examining the powerful forces behind social media platforms that influence how people communicate and perceive themselves. Learn about the intersection of linguistics, technology, and cultural identity as Aleksic analyzes the unprecedented speed at which new vocabulary emerges and spreads in the digital age, revealing how algorithmic systems are transforming not just what we say, but how we construct our very sense of self through language.