Brain Rot and the Decline of Critical Thinking

The phenomenon of brain rot has recently caught public attention. It's seen as a serious issue concerning the deterioration of critical thinking skills and mental well-being, especially among young people.

From children to young adults, many spend excessive hours navigating social media. They are using it as a constant source of entertainment and escapism, often from the moment they wake up until they fall asleep.

Why is brain rot so alarming? According to Prof. Dr. Sri Lestari, S.Psi., M.Si., Psikolog, an expert in child and family psychology at Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS), brain rot signals an urgent crisis of self-control and a lack of digital literacy. It also highlights the diminishing role of parental guidance in an era dominated by digital technology.

“Brain rot hasn’t yet been classified as an official psychological disorder under the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) by the World Health Organization (WHO), but the symptoms are real and can lead to more serious conditions like anxiety or depression,” said Prof. Sri Lestari, Professor at the Faculty of Psychology at UMS, when met in her office on (7/7/2025).

Brain rot refers to a decline in cognitive functioning caused by excessive consumption of superficial and repetitive digital content, such as short TikTok videos, absurd memes, and other fast-paced media that require little to no critical thinking.

“This kind of content makes the brain lazy. The neural fibers that are supposed to be active and interconnected grow weaker because they’re not being used for analysis,” she explained.

As a result, human cognitive function begins to decline. Children and adolescents struggle to concentrate, suffer memory loss, have difficulty filtering information, and tend to act impulsively.

While digital technology promises a leap in human productivity, without clear norms and adequate digital literacy, it risks derailing young generations from their productive potential.

According to Kompas.id, data from the Indonesian Internet Service Providers Association (APJII) in 2024 shows that the majority of internet users in Indonesia are of productive age. Generation Z dominates with 34.40%, followed by millennials at 30.62%. Other age groups show lower usage: Gen X at 18.98%, post-Z at 9.17%, baby boomers at 6.58%, and pre-boomers at 0.24%.

“Well, the high rate of digital technology use among young people is directly proportional to their massive access to various social media platforms!” said Prof. Sri Lestari, affirming the concern.

She further explained that the prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain most affected by brain rot. This region is responsible for decision-making and processing complex information. “When this part of the brain is undertrained, individuals tend to rely on instinct, and are more susceptible to hoaxes,” she added critically.

The negative impact of social media doesn't stop at declining brain function. According to a report by the Newport Institute, excessive information intake can trigger brain fatigue, which may lead to mental exhaustion. Often, social media users also experience a drop in self-confidence after being exposed to seemingly perfect lives portrayed online.

“Many teenagers fall into the trap of social comparison. They feel their skin isn’t flawless, their lives don’t look as glamorous as influencers', and they end up feeling worthless. This damages their self-esteem, and in severe cases, triggers depression,” Tari explained.

Self-diagnosis has also become common among youth who blindly consume shallow psychological content online. Many claim to be depressed just because they had trouble sleeping for two nights, without understanding the scientific context behind what they watched.

“In psychology, you cannot diagnose yourself arbitrarily. There must be clear and consistent indicators over a specific period of time,” she emphasized.

Early exposure to social media content is no less alarming. Many parents give gadgets to their children as a shortcut to calm them down. According to Prof. Sri Lestari, a screen is not a substitute for proper developmental stimulation that children should get through social interaction, play, or reading.

“I often observe it at restaurants, for example. Toddlers are handed gadgets while their parents are also busy with their own phones. There's no dialogue, the only interaction happens while feeding,” she said, visibly concerned.

No wonder that in recent years, more children are experiencing speech delays, poor vocabulary, and a lack of empathy. “If a child misbehaves, say they throw the gadget, the gadget stays silent. But if they’re playing with a friend, they learn about social consequences. That’s what's missing from their learning process,” Tari added.

Tari believed that digital literacy among Indonesian parents remains low. Many give their children smartphones or tablets without considering the consequences.

“Parents don’t know what their kids are watching. They’re unaware of the dangers of pornography, violence, or absurd videos that damage a child’s basic logic,” she warned. She cited bizarre animation videos like sharks wearing shoes or chairs with helicopter blades as confusing content for preschoolers.

“At that age, kids need to understand the real world first. Their basic concepts must be strong. If they’re exposed to weird things without guidance, it messes them up,” Tari criticized.

Many parents even reward their children with gadgets as comfort or distraction, effectively replacing parental presence with screens. Yet emotional and physical parental presence is crucial during a child’s development, especially to introduce reality and core values.

“Let the house get messy from play. That’s far healthier than a child sitting quietly with a gadget in hand,” she emphasized. Simple activities like pretend cooking, building blanket forts, or riding a bike outside have a far greater impact in shaping a child’s imagination, empathy, and communication skills.

Digital literacy and sustainable parenting education must be prioritized. Tari regrets that no serious government initiatives currently target digital education for parents.

“Adequate understanding from parents will help guide their children and encourage more mindful use of gadgets,” Tari added.

She emphasized the importance of instilling self-control from an early age, which parents can do by redirecting children toward positive activities. One effective method, she noted, is encouraging children to save money.

“One of my psychology students at UMS conducted an interesting study. The results showed that children who got used to saving money early tend to develop better self-control during adolescence,” she explained.

So, how can we protect our mental well-being in the age of brain rot? Tari recommended creating a realistic daily schedule, especially one that includes screen time management.

“Scrolling is fine, but it should be limited. If possible, use a timer, say, 15 minutes of scrolling, then switch to something more productive,” she advised.

Time-awareness is key. Reducing social media and screen exposure isn't easy, but it's absolutely doable.

Tari affirmed that change is possible, even for heavy gadget users. “The key is discipline and consistency. But if the symptoms are severe, don’t hesitate to seek professional help,” she stressed.

Simple steps like building a positive routine, reducing screen exposure, and strengthening real-life social interactions can be the first line of defense for mental health in this digital age. Amid the flood of information, training our attention and focus remains essential to keep both our minds sharp and souls grounded.

Writer: Genis Dwi Gustati

Editor: Gede Arga Adrian

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid