Enshittification: Macquarie's Word Of The Year

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Post on Nov 26, 2024

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Enshittification: Macquarie Dictionary's Word of the Year and What it Means for Us

Macquarie Dictionary's choice for Word of the Year 2023, "enshittification," has sparked significant conversation. This isn't your average addition to the lexicon; it's a powerful term reflecting a growing societal frustration. But what exactly is enshitification, and why did it resonate so deeply this year? Let's delve into the meaning, its origins, and its implications.

Understanding the Meaning of Enshittification

The word itself is a blend of "shit" and "-ification," a suffix indicating the process of making something into something else. Therefore, enshittification describes the process of something becoming gradually worse, typically due to neglect, mismanagement, or the cynical pursuit of profit over quality. It signifies a decline in quality, standards, or value, often impacting something initially good or valuable.

Examples of Enshittification in Action

The beauty of "enshittification" lies in its versatility. It can be applied to a wide range of scenarios, making it a potent descriptor of modern anxieties. Think about:

• The decline of public services: Budget cuts, privatization, and understaffing can lead to the enshittification of healthcare, education, and public transportation. Services initially designed to serve the public good become increasingly inadequate and frustrating.

• The erosion of online spaces: The proliferation of misinformation, abusive behavior, and algorithmic manipulation contributes to the enshittification of social media platforms. What were once spaces for connection and community can become toxic and dysfunctional.

• The degradation of the environment: Pollution, deforestation, and climate change exemplify the enshittification of our planet, leading to a decline in environmental quality and threatening the sustainability of life.

• The commodification of culture: The prioritization of profit over artistic integrity can result in the enshittification of creative endeavors, leading to a decline in quality and originality.

Why Enshittification Resonated in 2023

Macquarie Dictionary's choice reflects a growing societal awareness of these issues. The word captures the feeling of slow, insidious decline that many people experience in various aspects of their lives. It’s a feeling of powerlessness against forces gradually eroding what was once good. This resonates strongly in a world grappling with economic uncertainty, political polarization, and environmental crises. The term offers a concise and powerful way to articulate these widespread concerns.

The Power of a Word

"Enshittification" is more than just a catchy neologism. It’s a linguistic embodiment of a collective feeling of disillusionment. Its very vulgarity underlines the frustration and anger many feel toward the forces driving this decline. It serves as a potent call to action, prompting us to identify and challenge the processes contributing to this degradation of quality across various facets of our lives.

Moving Forward: Combating Enshittification

The widespread adoption of "enshittification" highlights the need for collective action. By acknowledging and naming this process, we can begin to address its root causes and work towards positive change. This requires critical engagement with systems, policies, and behaviors that contribute to this decline. It's about holding those responsible accountable and demanding higher standards across all sectors of society. The very act of naming the problem is the first step towards solving it.

In conclusion, Macquarie Dictionary's choice of "enshittification" as Word of the Year is not merely a linguistic curiosity; it's a reflection of our times and a powerful call to action. By understanding its meaning and its implications, we can begin to identify and counteract the forces driving the gradual deterioration of things we value.