Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Short Wave (NPR)

Episode: Are we cooked? How social media shapes your language w/ Adam Aleksic (from TED Tech)
Air Date: November 15, 2025
Host: Emily Kwong (intro/outro), Shirelle Dorsey (TED Tech)
Guest: Adam Aleksic, Linguist

Overview

This episode explores how social media platforms, and specifically their underlying algorithms, are actively shaping the evolution of language. Linguist and internet content creator Adam Aleksic unpacks how new slang emerges, spreads, and is co-opted—illustrating that while language change is nothing new, the speed and mechanisms have fundamentally altered. The episode examines the sociolinguistic effects of viral content, algorithm-driven trends, commercialized identities, and the blurred origins of modern slang, raising the vital question: Are we truly "cooked" by this algorithmic tide?

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Slang in the Algorithm Age:

• Social media is a unique force in language evolution.
• Algorithms not only amplify words but sometimes generate them by design, rewarding those that engage audiences and skirt censorship.
• Terms like "unalive," "riz," "gyat," and "skibidi" spread rapidly thanks to algorithmic boosts, not just organic community creation.

2. Euphemism Driven by Moderation (02:10–06:50):

• Unalive became popular as a euphemism for "kill" or "die" because TikTok suppresses posts with words violating community standards.

• Adam Aleksic gathers data from middle school teachers and finds "unalive" entering real conversations, essays, and discussions, especially among youth.

  “The main function appears to be euphemistic. Many kids use the word when they’re uncomfortable talking about topics like death, since unalive sounds like a less scary word.”
  — Adam Aleksic (04:25)

• Euphemisms for death have always existed, but unalive’s emergence is algorithmically driven rather than culturally or linguistically "natural."

3. Algorithmically Accelerated Trends (06:50–10:15):

• Algorithms push content (songs, memes) that generate engagement, causing certain words and slang to go mainstream at unprecedented speeds.

  "Language has always been a little bit like a virus. ... But now the literally viral nature of social media is accelerating this process from start to finish."
  — Adam Aleksic (08:18)

• The "Rizzler" song and similar viral content serve as vehicles for slang proliferation ("riz," "gyat," "skibidi"), with creators strategically using trending hashtags and audio for reach.

• Influencers act as algorithmic "accomplices" for the spread and commercial viability of new slang.

4. Commercialization and Identity Labels (10:15–12:25):

• Popular "-core" suffixes (e.g., "cottagecore," "goblincore") emerge, not just organically, but because platforms recognize and encourage hyper-specific identity content for better microtargeting.

• TikTok openly markets subcultures as the "new demographics," encouraging businesses to engage and profit from trending niche identities.

  "It's all fake. The entire reason these aesthetics exist is because TikTok’s algorithm has decided that words like cottagecore qualify as trending metadata."
  — Adam Aleksic (11:16)

• Algorithms create echo chambers, affirming new identities and subtly nudging users toward consumerism aligned with these micro-labels.

5. Echo Chambers and Harmful Communities (12:26–14:20):

• Some memes or slang (e.g., suffix "pilled" as in "burrito-pilled") derive from darker subcultures such as the "incel" community.

• Adam notes how ironic and meme-based spread of such slang blurs origins, inadvertently exposing broader audiences to problematic ideas.

  "For the few people who might be interested in the underlying idea, it’s now more accessible to them because of the way that slang spreads on the Internet."
  — Adam Aleksic (13:40)

• Viral spread strips out etymology, which can both sanitize (or commercialize) and inadvertently normalize extremist rhetoric.

6. Black and Queer Linguistic Innovation and Appropriation (14:21–16:10):

• Much of popular slang originates in Black and queer communities as creative expressions and means to reclaim power.

• Mainstream adoption often appropriates and dilutes original meanings (e.g., "gyat" from AAVE becoming widely used in meme culture).

  "All of our most popular Internet slang words ... all come from queer or Black culture. These words originated as a form of creative expression independent from the straight white norms of the English language. But when those words began to be used online, they were quickly taken by people who wanted to capitalize on the perceived coolness or comedic value ..."
  — Adam Aleksic (14:38)

• The process echoes longer histories of appropriation—what’s new is the speed and scale, enabled by algorithms.

7. "Are We Cooked?" – The Big Question (16:10–17:40):

• Reflects on concerns about language decay, commodification, and normalization of extremist ideas.

• Aleksic calms existential worries, noting that each generation adapts and develops new workarounds for censorship, and that creative slang reflects vibrant linguistic evolution.

• However, continued awareness is vital:

  "We should be aware when the way we’re talking may have been conditioned by the algorithm. ... We should be aware when our language regurgitates extremist rhetoric ... because it helps us better understand who we are today."
  — Adam Aleksic (17:14)

• Final playful nod to how the episode itself is an example of meta-slang:

  “Thanks for coming to my TED Talk.” (17:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "If you spend enough time around 7th and 8th graders, you will hear them using the word unalive ... could show up in contexts like a student’s essay on Hamlet’s contemplation of unaliving himself."
  — Adam Aleksic (03:58)

• "The very structure of social media is changing. Where words come from, how words get popular, and how quickly those words spread."
  — Adam Aleksic (06:02)

• "Creators are very aware of this, and we actively use trending audios or hashtags to make our videos perform better."
  — Adam Aleksic (07:20)

• "Essentially, they're driving the mass production of identity building labels in order to profit off all of us."
  — Adam Aleksic (11:45)

• "We’ve been whitewashing Black slang since the days of cool and high-five, which at this point have become so mainstream they’re just seen as regular words."
  — Adam Aleksic (15:25)

• "I don’t think we’re sliding into a dystopian 1984 scenario because we’re always coming up with new ways around media censorship ... I think each of these words is a beautiful, colorful addition to the English language that reflects the diverse cultural moment we’re all in."
  — Adam Aleksic (16:45)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:10 — Introduction to how algorithms influence slang like "unalive"
• 03:48 — Middle school usage and the euphemistic nature of "unalive"
• 06:50 — Algorithms amplifying viral slang: "riz," "gyat," "skibidi," and meme culture
• 10:15 — "-core" aesthetics and algorithmically generated identity labels
• 12:26 — Harmful subcultures and the "pilled" suffix
• 14:21 — Appropriation of Black and queer slang
• 16:10 — Discussing whether we're "cooked" or simply part of ongoing linguistic evolution
• 17:40 — Close: Importance of awareness and understanding etymology

Conclusion

This lively, nuanced episode illustrates how social media algorithms are not neutral bystanders, but active agents in shaping the words we use and the ways we form identity online. Through humor and keen linguistic insight, Adam Aleksic urges listeners to embrace language change while staying vigilant about the origins and uses of trending words, especially as they intersect with commercial, cultural, and ideological forces.

"We should be aware." (17:14)