Doomscrolling describes compulsively scrolling on the internet even when your feed is filled with death, despair, and yet another TV show spoiler. If you experience any of the following after mindlessly browsing social media, it may be time to put the phone down.
- You’ve spent the past hour scrolling through your newsfeed reading about the same terrible event, and now you really need a coffee break. Maybe a cupcake too. With sprinkles.
- You don’t remember why you originally logged on or got your phone out … two hours ago.
- You find yourself in the middle of your third Twitter argument this week and asking yourself for the 30th time why you replied to this person in the first place.
- You’re perusing the comments on a post that makes you want to punch a hole in the wall when you could be venting that frustration by punching a bag at the gym. Or, you know, doing something else at least.
- You get your weekly update on how much time you spent on your phone and are averaging 8 hours and 40 minutes a day. And that’s after you cut down.
- You currently have 29 tabs open, including that cookie recipe you keep meaning to try, which is naturally sandwiched between articles about inflation rates and the laest COVID numbers.
by Alyssa Serrani, MA, Your Dictionary | Read more:
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[ed. Which is how I ended up down a rabbit hole learning about Kawaii:]
A Closer Look at Kawaii: The Term and the Culture
There’s a certain indefinable quality to something that’s so cute you want to squeeze it (not too hard). But that quality is only indefinable in English; in Japanese, there’s a perfectly suitable word for “so cute you want to die,” and it’s kawaii.
"Kawaii" Meaning: Cute and Lovable
Kawaii originated in anime and manga, where it was eventually perfected with popular kawaii anime such as Pokemon or Hanamaru Kindergarten. The term kawaii has been growing in popularity in recent years, and while its definition has shifted to meet consumer interests, it’s essentially the same concept of charming loveliness.
The Kawaii Aesthetic
So what would be considered kawaii? Gyaru-Moji (girl writing) is a type of informal Japanese writing associated with young schoolchildren or teenage girls and often represents the kawaii aesthetic as a whole. Additional examples of things that may be kawaii include:
- babies
- puppies and kittens
- anime creatures
- tiny animals
- old people in love
- pastel colors
- schoolgirl fashion
- food or inanimate objects with smiley faces
It’s easy to think that kawaii simply means adorable creatures or children. But like many areas of popular culture, kawaii is a bit more complicated than that. Subcategories of kawaii include:
- Yumekawaii - dreamlike Kawaii (fluffy clouds, fantasy creatures, rainbows)
- Kimokawaii - creepy cute (ugly little monsters, slimy goblins, strange-looking babies)
- Shibukawaii - subtle cute (adding a few kawaii accessories but otherwise dressing normally)
- Busukawaii - ugly cute (tacky clothes, non-pretty appearance)
- Gurokawaii - grotesque cute (adorable animals eating each other or throwing up)
- Erokawaii - sexy cute (erotic version of kawaii)
- Neokawaii - trendy cute (yuppie fashion, cool celebrity vibes)
Image: Kilito Chan/Moment/Getty Images
[ed. Barf bags optional.]
