Latest news with #ItalianBrainRot
India Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Italian brain rot: TikTok's weirdest meme craze, explained
When I first heard about TikTok's new meme trend, Italian brain rot, it reminded me of Sukumar Ray's Abol Tabol, a collection of Bengali nonsense verse. Only that was literature; this is actually browsing through your Instagram feed, have you come across a bizarre mashup of AI-generated hybrids, like a shark wearing Nikes or a ballerina with a cappuccino for a head, voiced by an exaggerated Italian accent? That is Italian Brain Rot for you may have heard a lot about brain rot lately (feel sorry for yourself if you haven't, it was Oxford's Word of the Year for 2024), the trend Italian Brain Rot seems to have not been discussed much in India (more reasons for us to fill you in). It's a wildly surreal meme trend that's capturing the attention of Gen Alpha and younger Gen Z, where they know-it-all, but parents are scratching their heads, figuring it all the name might suggest some connection to Italy, child psychologist Riddhi Doshi is quick to clarify that it has nothing to do with Italian culture and everything to do with chaotic, nonsensical, AI-generated did it come from?The meme originated roughly around early 2025, with one of its earliest viral characters being Tralalero Tralala, first seen on TikTok alongside AI-generated images and wild Italian-accented voiceovers. More characters include - Ballerina Cappuccina, Cappuccino Assassino, Bombardino Crocodilo. So yes, the onus of initiating the trend goes to TikTok (banned in India) once term 'brain rot' carries dual meanings; it refers both to the overload of mindless content and its potentially deteriorating effects on the mind. So Italian brain rot is no different either, only the type of content trend has become so popular that Walmart started selling toys looking similar to creatures from the world of Italian brain rot.A wave of absurdityItalian Brain Rot videos are filled with outlandish hybrids, sharks in sneakers, crocodile-planes, ballerinas balancing coffee cups, accompanied by exaggerated, Italian-sounding narration. The unpredictable visuals and catchy audio make them irresistibly engaging for children.'The kids are obsessed because of the absurdity and the sensory overload,' says Doshi. 'It's captivating, unpredictable, and the audios are extremely catchy.'Why does it hook kidsAccording to Doshi, this trend offers the kind of quick, high-stimulation entertainment that makes traditional tasks—reading, writing, homework feel dull in comparison. 'Such small reels and videos are not allowing the children to focus for a longer time,' she explains. 'They don't want to study, go to school, write, or read.'It is not a meaningful cultural expression, but as post-ironic digital humour, it is more of a random bodning parents can doLike other 'brain rot' content, it's fast-paced, absurd, and overstimulating. Consuming it for long periods might make it harder for some people (especially younger ones) to focus on slower, more sustained Doshi advises, 'Be curious. Talk about it. In fact, be a part of your children doing this and understand what they're watching.'She recommends setting firm screen time boundaries, involving children in daily physical or calming activities for at least ten minutes, and encouraging them toward real-world creativity instead of purely virtual Brain Rot might be silly, but Doshi believes it's a symptom of something serious, the shrinking attention spans and weakened emotional resilience of children growing up online. It's captivating, yes, but it's also a distraction from learning, focus, and real-world engagement.- EndsTrending Reel
CBC
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
WATCH — Why you might want to translate Italian brain rot before repeating it
Trending meme sounds might feature offensive terms Tralalero Tralala. Sound familiar? Then you've seen those Italian brain rot videos taking over TikTok. The videos show AI-generated character art of animals mixed with other creatures or objects. The videos usually start with an Italian-sounding name — which is actually gibberish — like Bombardilo Crocodilo or Ballerina Cappuccina. Then the voiceover continues using real Italian words. It's hard to pinpoint the exact origins of the trend. The TikTok account echino1246 posted one of the earliest examples, on Jan. 8. It featured the Tralalero Tralala audio with an image of a shark with pigeon legs standing on a beach. Keep reading to hear theories as to why Italian brain rot has caught on. ⬇️⬇️⬇️ Why do people like it? CBC Kids News spoke to Jarret Verwimp, a clinical counsellor from Calgary, Alberta, who works with youth. Verwimp told us this kind of content gets popular because of how catchy and repeatable it is. 'The language, it's cool. It's some new word and it's catchy,' Verwimp said. 'It gets stuck in people's heads and they keep saying it over and over again.' Of course, Verwimp said, you don't want to be repeating any offensive content. 'I think the danger with all of this is they don't know what some of these things really mean,' he said. Why some are concerned over ChatGPT's new Studio Ghibli-style images That hasn't stopped brands from jumping on board, said market researcher Francesco De Nittis with Human Centric Group based in Italy. In a blog post, he said it takes 'minimal effort' to hop on the trend and offers 'instant engagement' with young audiences. That said, De Nittis added brands have to take it one step further — and create their own memorable content — if they want to be remembered. Is it really rotting your brain? Verwimp said that relaxing and watching content you enjoy can be a positive thing. 'All of that is good. We all need a break sometimes,' he said. 'It'll make you laugh, maybe, and go: 'Ha ha, that's silly.'' But like lots of things in life, it's all about finding a balance. Verwimp said that we all have a limited amount of time to choose what we consume. 'It's not that watching this is going to make you stupid,' he said. 'But you're taking away from the time you have to watch something that's going to lift you up, that's going to educate you.' Tell us what you think ⬇️⬇️⬇️
CBC
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Is Italian brain rot even real Italian?
Italian brain rot videos have been trending, but people are starting to discover some strange facts about them. CBC Kids News contributor Matthew Hines breaks down this new online trend.
