[OPINION] The perfect art form: Brainrot

Brainrot is one of social media’s weirdest and most popular trends – and because it is popular, it gets judged. But behind the chaos is something simple: joy.

By Jonathan Saucedo, Opinions Editor • May 30, 2025

Photo by Jonathan Saucedo

Opinions Editor Jonathan Saucedo channels the art of brainrot—with fire emojis, sunglasses, and Patapim-level wisdom. (Photo illustration created by Jonathan Saucedo via Canva)

Opinions Editor Jonathan Saucedo is a three-year member of the Wildcat Chronicle who frequently writes opinion pieces. The views expressed in this piece are his own.

The term “brainrot” has blown up on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Whether it’s Tim Cheese lore or Italian brainrot fighters, this new wave of content is all over Gen Z’s feeds – and it has brought people together in weird, wonderful ways.

So what exactly is brain rot? It is basically internet nonsense taken to the extreme. Some call it random, dumb content. Others see it as chaotic memes made with AI, filled with inside jokes only the extremely online will understand. Either way, it is funny – and more popular than ever.

A lot of adults say brainrot is messing up kids’ brains. But that’s cap.

Brainrot might look like garbage to older generations, but it actually brings people together. It gives teens something to bond over. It adds weird new vocabulary to everyday conversations. And yeah, it is a little absurd – but that is the point.

“Brainrot might be seen by many as something that is bad for our generation, but I believe it has many benefits as well,” West Chicago Community High School senior Puneet Chohan said. “It brings people together and gives a common interest. Some brainrots even make you use your memory and brain to understand what’s going on.”

Brainrot has taken the place of traditional memes. With AI tools like Genmoji and ElevenLabs, users can generate anything – like a fake JFK skit or an alternate universe episode of “Breaking Bad” – in seconds. The internet is wild, and it is getting wilder.

Some argue that brainrot is dangerous for kids because of trends like “Skibidi Toilet.” But the hype around Skibidi is already over. No one is singing the song anymore, and it has been pushed out by new content. Just like “Baby Shark”, it is a phase, nothing more.

As of late, a trend in AI brainrot has been all over social media due to its ability to create whatever a consumer wants with just a few words. (Photo by Jonathan Saucedo)

“Brainrot is funny because it provides entertainment for us while also adding in a few more vocabulary to use in our everyday lives,” senior Luke Turley said. “People who hate just don’t wanna have fun.”

Critics of brainrot do not understand that it is more than just dumb humor. It is creative. It is expressive. It is comfort content for a generation dealing with school stress, social pressure, and real-world uncertainty. And it is here to stay.

Each week, a new wave of brainrot appears. Sometimes it is AI. Sometimes it is just a strange image with distorted audio. Either way, it is the kind of content that makes people laugh, share, and connect. Brainrot is not about making sense. It is about making someone laugh after a long day.

Brainrot might not win awards, but it wins hearts. That is the only validation it needs.

About the Contributor

Jonathan Saucedo, Opinions Editor

Jonathan is a senior who joined the Wildcat Chronicle in his sophomore year: through the newspaper, he has learned many important lessons – not only about journalism, but about life in general. Jonathan was able to successfully get his Opinions Editor role in his junior year due to his hard efforts, and has been it ever since. He is grateful for this position and his ability to be a leader for the Chronicle. He received his first Best of SNO on one of the editorials he worked on earlier this year, and is a Blue Ribbon Award recipient through the Northern Illinois Student Press Association for his ongoing column “Jonathan Says.” Besides Journalism, Jonathan loves the draw/sketch – yeah, well… he dropped the fascade and admits he is not as good at drawing as he claims to be. He still very much doodles when classes get a little boring, though. He also has a very sociable personality and can talk to people very easily, he even got better at talking to the whole class (presentations). It is very clear that having a higher role in journalism brought him to a more professional level. His goal was to finish 25 assignments in a whole school year, which is easier said than done. He did not complete 25 pieces. But, he did win several awards last year, so that is great on his end. Jonathan’s junior year goal was to find job, and to everyone’s surprise, he was able to successfully pull a job at McDonald’s, leaving him no longer sad and broke, but rich and happy. He is excited for his final semester of journalism, and cannot wait to be a part of the team all yet another year long. His time is ticking at the Chronicle, and he wants to do something big before he leaves the team.

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