Writer Rebecca Shaw Reflects on Being Left Behind by Internet Slang

In a personal essay published on The Guardian, Australian writer Rebecca Shaw discusses her experience of finally having to Google a Gen Z slang term, marking a milestone in her relationship with internet culture. Shaw, who has been online for a long time and previously absorbed slang through osmosis, now finds herself among those who are 'bamboozled' by the rapid evolution of language. She notes that today's internet has no centre, with endless overlapping microcultures on platforms like Reddit, Discord, Twitch, and TikTok, each developing its own language independently. Shaw expresses appreciation for the creativity of new slang, such as 'rizz' for charisma, while acknowledging that some terms can be negative. She advises that if you have to Google a slang term, you shouldn't use it, and warns politicians and PR people against adopting slang to appeal to young people. The essay reflects on the fragmentation of online culture and the inevitability of being left behind by the algorithm. Shaw, based in Sydney, concludes that she is 'unc and chopped' and accepts this with quiet dignity.