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.

Host & Guest

Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: https://adamgrant.net/)

Adam Aleksic (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube: @etymologynerd | Website: https://www.etymologynerd.com/)

Links

Algospeak by Adam Aleksic (https://www.amazon.com/Algospeak-Social-Transforming-Future-Language/dp/0593804074)

Follow TED!

X: https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted

Facebook: https://facebook.com/TED

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks

Podcasts: https://www.ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/rethinking-with-adam-grant-transcripts

ReThinking is produced by Cosmic Standard. Our Senior Producer is Jessica Glazer, our Engineer is Aja Simpson, our Technical Director is Jacob Winik, and our Executive Producer is Eliza Smith.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best of RHLSTP 2025 - Part 1

RHLSTP with Richard Herring

Best-of format and Ruth Husko clip

The AI-powered Podcast Player