Book Review: ‘Algospeak’ shows just how much social media is changing us
By RACHEL S HUNT Associated Press How much has social media changed the way we talk and behave That s the question linguist and content creator Adam Aleksic sets out to answer in his debut book Algospeak If you already know what words like yeet rizz brainrot or blackpilled mean specific of this information might not come as a surprise to you Still Aleksic s analysis reaffirms how this language came about and why it continues to proliferate For those unfamiliar it acts as an accessible entry point into social media slang and its evolution Algospeak touches on a wide array of topics including in-groups and out-groups censorship language appropriation extremism online microtrends clickbait and generational divides The chapters build on each other with a textbook-level attention to vocabulary This book serves as a sobering reality check on how social media is affecting not just our speech but our entire identities This book cover image circulated by Knopf shows Algospeak How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language by Adam Aleksic Knopf via AP Social media creates new identities in order to commodify them Aleksic writes in a chapter about microtrends and micro-labels Your decisions are now curated for you under the guise of personalization while in reality they re engineered to make platforms as much money as viable As a self-proclaimed etymology nerd Aleksic leans heavily into his experience as a content creator providing a crash unit into social media history and how to meeting the ever-changing and opaque algorithm His tone is academic yet approachable and he s bold but pragmatic in his assertions exploring counterarguments sufficiently He identifies the transient nature of language and the algorithm forthwith since the cultural references in Algospeak danger expiring rapidly as trends change and social media platforms shift but that s the point The algorithm is here to stay This is why I think it s absolutely worth talking about even the preponderance fleeting words Aleksic writes Related Articles Jon Stewart says he could be next after Stephen Colbert s show is canceled How to watch WNBA All-Star events -point contest skills challenge and event Astronomer CEO HR chief face professional downfall over Coldplay shame overview Domino masters get everything in place for the Tech Topple in San Jose Pete Davidson follows pal John Mulaney s path to fatherhood and healing Aleksic s writing feels personable and knowledgeable as he translates his online presence offline and in doing so demonstrates his own asserts about parasocial relationships and owning one s audience Keeping up with the algorithmic cycle is portrayed as exhausting but as a necessary evil for influencers supporting their livelihoods through social media Algospeak is a fascinating blend of etymology psychology cultural analysis and first-person perspective The book acts as both a snapshot of our current social media-imbued society and as an intellectual foundation for language developments to come Aleksic leaves his reader with questions about the threats and opportunities that stem from social media developments but undeniably one principle is true social media has breached containment and is influencing not only the way we talk but the way we live Algorithms are the culprits influencers are the accomplices language is the weapon and you dear reader are the victim he writes
