What the 'word of the year' tells us about the times we live in

One of my favorite things to do at the end of every year, is to find our which words made it as the 'word of the year'. Each year, the top dictionaries like Oxford, Merriam Webster and the online Dictionary.com declare what was the top searched word of the year..

It is interesting to see what spiked the interest of people the most, and what does it say about the times we live in.

Before I come to the 2017 words, I want to mention the 2016 words. It will be interesting to see if we can make sense of the transition.

I feel like calling 2016 the year of non-belief.

Oxford dictionary chose its 2016 word of the year as POST-TRUTH.

Before I explain the meaning, this very telling image from a Twitter post might give a hint.

Post-truth is defined as:

Relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.

It is more in the sense that, the truth is not as important as is the appearance of being truthful (perhaps being more appealing to emotions makes someone appear more convincing). The Brexit referendum, and US elections seemed to have caused a major spikes in the usage of these words.

Interestingly, in the same year, Merriam Webster announced SURREAL as their word of the year. To quote from the site:

When we don’t believe or don’t want to believe what is real, we need a word for what seems “above” or “beyond” reality. Surreal is such a word.

Events like Brexit referendum, US elections, Brussels terror attack, etc had caused a spike in the usage of the word.

So on one hand, we found sentiments, more than facts, being used to sway public opinion, and on the other disbelief when people saw the outcome of that (swaying of opinion).

It is an interesting paradox.

That seems to have given way to another pattern emerging in 2017, starting with Dictionary.com announcing its word of the year 2017 as COMPLICIT

It is defined as:

 “choosing to be involved in an illegal or questionable act, especially with others; having partnership or involvement in wrongdoing.” Or, put simply, it means being, at some level, responsible for something . . . even if indirectly.

Events related to Ivanka Trump, is said to have caused a few of the spikes in the word. For example, this mock commercial of a mock perfume called Complicit, where Scarlett Johansson is playing Ivanka Trump. The commercial describes Ivanka as: "She is beautiful, she is powerful, she is complicit.."

Subsequently, the real Ivanka has made some statement pertaining to being complicit, which led to increased search of word.

According to Dictionary.com:

"We chose our Word of the Year, in part, because of noteworthy stories of those who have refused to be complicit. In the face of oppression and wrongdoing, this refusal to be complicit has been a grounding force of 2017."

They further refer to #metoo, resignations from the Trump administration, etc as examples.

Merriam Webster announced their word of the year 2017 as FEMINISM

#metoo as a movement again contributed to the spike in the word. It is not difficult to see that concern over safety for women, and the call for women to play an equal role at workplaces was indeed a dominant theme in the world last year. In all probability, it will continue to be so, for sometime, till balance is restored.

Oxford dictionary announced their word of the year 2017 as YOUTHQUAKE

The word is defined as: is defined as ‘a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people’.

How the Millennials swayed election outcomes across the world, caused the biggest spikes in this word.

So maybe I will call 2017, the year of change-makers..

.. A year of those who refused to be complicit, the women who finally spoke up and the millennials who rose to show that they are here to stay, and define the world of tomorrow.

On a lighter note...

Guess what Google listed as their top searched "how to" for India in 2017?

How to link Aadhar with Pan card!!

Oxford Dictionary or no Oxford Dictionary, the Indian Word of the Year, was definitely "Aadhar":)

What is 2018 going to be about? Let us see..

I for sure will be googling to find out, at the end of the year.

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(Disclaimer: No part of this blog maybe copied or reproduced or reused or republished in any way, except using the share feature of LinkedIn. Any other form of reuse, must be only after explicit written consent of the author.)

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I am a writer and entrepreneur. I have been listed on the LinkedIn Top Voices 2017.

While I write on a wide variety of subjects, my favorite topics are leadership, life & purpose, artificial intelligence and education.

I am the author of a unique book on entrepreneurship, called:

The Entrepreneur’s Soulbook — Is it your cup of tea? Link to the book

I run my own venture, the GhostWritersWorld (LinkedIn Page)/(website)

Connect with me on Twitter @swatcat_sj

My other LinkedIn articles are here.

Some of my favorite ones are..

Technology & product

1. “If Robots will do everything, what will humans do”: Why AI Rhetoric deeply worries me
2. “Justice delayed is justice denied”: Could AI and Data Science be the answer to India’s judicial backlog?
3. Flirt with your product ideas, don’t fall in love
4. LOL … driverless cars for India??: When AI meets Cows, Rajinikanth and Ganpati
5. Love in the time of Artificial Intelligence: Valentine’s Day 2030
6. “Who pays the price?”: Why PRODUCT INNOVATION without SERVICE EXCELLENCE hurts customers — the ETHICS of product innovation

Leadership and Organization

1. “If you are nothing without the suit, you don’t deserve it”: 3 cardinal tests for anyone who calls himself leader
2. 3 unforgettable lessons I learnt from an Indian Ed Tech Leader
3. “Oh! You are sensitive”: Why sensitive is a TABOO word — and LEADERS should consciously HIRE such people in teams
4. “I love solving problems”: The BIG problem with problem solving
5. “So why are you leaving?”: Don’t treat retention discussions like a ONE TIME date
6. Sophisticated-fear-based-management: 3 unmistakable signs
7. Interns or cheap labor? Making internship count
8. “Travis may be Uber, but Uber cannot be Travis: The curious case of Charismatic leaders”

Diversity and Inclusion

1. “Women can’t code because of Biology: 3 reasons it was a BIG MISTAKE for google to fire James Damore (perspectives of a feminist)
2. 3 taboo questions Millennials are asking, leaving hiring managers shocked
3. Why the ‘Corporate-style Women’s Day Celebrations’ gives me the creeps
4. The OOUCH of maternity leaves: Why managers secretly dread it
5. Man or Woman? Who should lead gender diversity? Why we are simply asking the WRONG question.
6. “She has good figure”: Why creating a safe place to work takes much more than just sexual harrassment policy

Life & purpose

1.”But I have bills to pay..”: Why the PREMISE we build our life on, DECIDES how far we will go..

2. “How is life? Well, going on.”: Why you should NOT quit your job, but GRADUATE from it

3.The Monkey Catcher’s Lesson: Why we get stuck in our jobs, situations, emotions..

4. “Anger is remembered pain”: 3 steps to healing from difficult experiences at workplace

5. “How is life? Well, going on..”: Why you should NOT quit your job, but GRADUATE from it

6. A “50-over-50” list: Pressures of adults “growing up” in a world of over-achieving youngsters

7. The (difficult) art of doing nothing and why it matters in a world proud of “busy”

8. 500 Uber rides without driver talking on the phone: My personal starfish story

9. “Here is a muffin that will make you successful”: The unspoken truth about success

10. 5 reasons we should “stop fighting” for a cause

11. “You are hiding something”: 4 reasons we find it difficult to trust those we love

12. “Pick your battles”: Fine, but how?

Education

1. The Yin and Yang of Ed-Tech: Will schools even survive the next 10 years?
2. Why we “grown-ups” are the biggest reason the education system must change urgently
3. “No chair for teacher”: Is it time we do away with this regressive and myopic policies