Dictionary.com announced its 2019 Word of the Year today,Web Series Archives and it is a big mood.
The website has chosen the word "existential", as in "existential crisis" or "existential dread" — two things the vast majority of us are likely intimately familiar with regardless of whether we've ever used either phrase before.
Dictionary.com gives two definitions of "existential": "of or relating to existence" and "of, relating to, or characteristic of philosophical existentialism; concerned with the nature of human existence as determined by the individual's freely made choices."
According to the site, a lot of people were concerned with the nature of human existence this year.
"The words we saw people looking up in 2019 signal a broader concern about safety, security, and survival, in ways both immediate and far-reaching," Dictionary.com senior researcher John Kelly said in a press release.
“Sustained interest in existential, in our lookup data as well as in the news and culture, reflects this collective grappling."
SEE ALSO: Cancel culture is named Macquarie Dictionary's word of the yearClimate change is quickly transforming our planet into a giant oven while politicians sit around bleating that everything is perfect and awesome. The world is on fire, and not in a cool Smash Mouth way but a "koalas are being incinerated" sort of way. Big tech companies are coming up with more ways to track everyone, everywhere, all the time. Nazis are back.
In short, widespread sentiment in 2019 has been that not enough is being done to secure our future, and that humanity's own choices are destroying us. Looking at the way things have gone thus far, it's hard to argue.
Dictionary.com does try to be a bit optimistic about the burning hell on Earth we've created for ourselves. "[T]he philosophical underpinnings of the word existential invite us to pause, shake off any pessimism or passivity, and ask: What choices do we make in the face of our challenges?" said Kelly.
We can make the best decisions we can. Buy reusable shopping bags, eat less red meat, Uberpool instead of Uber. Every little bit helps. Even so, our choices can feel a bit futile when just 20 companies are responsible for a third of all carbon emissions.
As Dictionary.com points out, in some ways we're all Toy Story 4's Forky, saddled by the terrible burden of existence and screaming for purpose.
SEE ALSO: Oxford Dictionary's word of the year makes total senseDictionary.com's runner-up for Word of the Year was a much more optimistic highlight: "nonbinary", particularly where it is defined as "noting or relating to a person with a gender identity or sexual orientation that does not fit into the male/female or heterosexual/gay divisions."
With the definition of "they" as a nonbinary pronoun also added officially to Merriam-Webster this year, it reflects growing understanding and acceptance of diverse genders and sexualities. Like hope at the bottom of our Pandora's box of misery, it indicates that at least some small part of our society is headed in the right direction.
"The power of agency is at work in another major theme in our dictionary updates and lookups in 2019: inclusivity, especially as it concerns gender identity and sexual orientation," said Kelly. "Acts of self-identification can be ways people take 'existential' control over their lives."
Also, vote.
Marvel's Black Widow movie just took a big step forwardFacebook announces a big News Feed change — and just wants you to be happyGuillermo Del Toro loved Natalie Portman's 'allYouTuber Shane Dawson posts video apologizing for pedophilia jokesSamsung joins Motorola, LG in adding FM radio chip to upcoming phones'Black Panther' ticket GoFundMe more than doubles goalNew Zealand police radio hacked to play NWA's 'F**k tha Police'South Korea mulls cryptocurrency ban but it's far from finalizedNot again: Men try to create blockchainSkiin's 'smart' underwear takes fitness tracking to the next levelSpyware creator arrested for allegedly creeping on thousands for 13 yearsIvanka Trump praised Oprah's Globes speech but people aren't having itOmron's Forpheus robot will put your ping pong skills to shameThis smart credit card has a cellphone antenna insideIndia's only openly gay prince to build an LGBTQ center at his palaceSchlage Smart Deadbolt integrates Alexa, Siri, now Google AssistantFacebook announces a big News Feed change — and just wants you to be happyDiversity in video game development is (surprise) not goodActress Mira Sorvino apologizes for working with Woody AllenMashReads Podcast: 'Fire and Fury' may be the pettiest book of 2018 Open Sesame by Joshua Cohen Build the TOTK hoverbike using these easy steps Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for May 31 Dreaming in Welsh by Pamela Petro Tonight: “Get in the back of the van!” by Sadie Stein How to masturbate with long acrylic nails Kids Are All Right, Like E Trump announced he has COVID Arthurian Legend, Literary Restaurants by Sadie Stein Poetic Prescriptions, Banished Words by Sadie Stein Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for May 29 Mark Hamill drops the mic on the Biden October Surprise; or, How to Follow a Perfect Season by James Santel Wallace Shawn Reads Denis Johnson by Sadie Stein Women are thanking Chrissy Teigen for sharing her heartbreaking pregnancy journey Hillary Clinton hitting a Zoom limit on TV is a 2020 mood Of Bloggers and Book Clubs by Sadie Stein Biden asks Trump what everyone's thinking: 'Will you shut up, man?' 'Succession' Season 4: The most WTF quotes Zagat, Library Science, Cheap Thrills by Sadie Stein
2.5256s , 10132.5546875 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【Web Series Archives】,Miracle Information Network