The Oxford word of the year is usually chosen by editorial staff at the various different editions of the Oxford Dictionary, but this year they are making a huge mistake. They are allowing the public to vote for the word of the year. My many years of experience on the internet tell me this is a bad idea.
Thankfully, it’s not a free-for-all. Instead, we’ve been given a choice between three terms.
Those words are…
- Metaverse
- #IStandWith
- Goblin Mode
As you can see, I’ve made my choice.
Oxford Dictionary
Metaverse is… well the metaverse. If you’re on CNET, a technology site, you most likely understand what that means and how ubiquitous it has become as a term this year. #IStandWith is a hashtag designed to help with solidarity for certain causes on social media.
Goblin Mode is… well.
Goblin Mode, according to dictionary.com is a “slang term for a way of behaving that intentionally and shamelessly gives in to and indulges in base habits and activities without regard for adhering to social norms or expectations.”
Basically when people go “Goblin Mode” all bets are off. They’re at home, not showering, still wearing pyjamas at 5pm, eating chocolate and chips for dinner. It’s a form we’ve all taken, particularly over the past few years.
The phrase has technically been around since 2009, but has come to life in 2022 since, well, we’re all going a bit Goblin Mode really.
And this is why I’m following the example of PC Gamer and saying, folks, it is time to vote for Goblin Mode. It is the clear winner and most obvious choice. The metaverse is lame and is partly to blame for Meta reporting its first ever revenue drop this year. #IStandWith is a hashtag and is not a real word. Hashtags suck by default, I am sorry. Voting ends on Friday 2 Dec.
Goblin Mode people. It’s the only real choice. No other word quite captures the zeitgeist like Goblin Mode. It is who we are now.
It is our truth. Vote for Goblin Mode.
