ReThinking: Demystifying Gen Alpha slang with Adam Aleksic
Podcast: Worklife with Molly GrahamPublished On: Tue Jan 20 2026
Description: If you’ve ever wondered what “skibidi rizz” means or why kids are so obsessed with the number 67, Adam Aleksic wrote a book on it. Aleksic, better known at @etymologynerd online, is a 24-year-old linguist known for his enlightening and entertaining videos on the origin of words. In this episode, the two Adams discuss Aleksic’s new book Algospeak and the ways in which the internet is shaping the way we communicate both on and offline. Aleksic sheds light on the origins of the seemingly meaningless “brainrot” memes popular with Gen Z and Gen Alpha internet users, and reveals the complex and (sometimes) profound insights they have to offer about culture, the transmission of ideas and information, and how our access to language can change the way we see the world.Featured guestFollow Adam Aleksic on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and at etymologynerd.com/Buy AlgospeakConnect with the teamFollow Adam on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at adamgrant.net/Subscribe to Adam’s SubstackWatch ReThinking videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollectiveFollow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTokFor the full text transcript, visit https://www.ted.com/podcasts/worklife-transcripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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