What is goblin mode?

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**Bababam** (0:52)
What is Goblin Mode?
Thanks for asking. Every year, linguists at Oxford University choose a Word of the Year, and in 2022, they allowed the public to vote on the winner for the first time. The 340,000 English speakers who'd voted were given three choices, metaverse, the I stand with hashtag, and, drum roll please, the eventual runaway winner, Goblin Mode.
The term secured an impressive 93% of votes. It might seem anecdotal and lighthearted, but you're going to hear it a lot more often in 2023 as it's definitely an expression that speaks to the times. What's the official definition? According to the prestigious Oxford University Press, Goblin Mode is a type of behaviour which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations. So basically, it means shamelessly living as you want, or slobbing out if you like. I'm sure you're familiar with the idea of goblins. The small anthropomorphic figures appeared in European folklore and fairy tales around the Middle Age. They're known for being particularly primitive and unpleasant to look at. In Harry Potter, goblins run Gringotts Bank, and in The Lord of the Rings, they're a type of orc that live in caves. Is it a brand new expression? Oxford languages say the first use of the term goes all the way back to 2009 on Twitter, but it went viral in February 2022 after a rumor spread about Kanye West leaving his partner Julia Fox because he didn't like her goblin mode. It might have been fake news, but use of the hashtag nevertheless skyrocketed, in particular on TikTok.
It seems the expression resonated with a lot of internet users due to what's been going on in the wild of late. Let's listen to Jonathan Dent from Oxford University Press talking to Al Jazeera about Goblin Mode's win.

**SPEAKER_2** (2:55)
Some people probably just thought it was going with that idea of slightly gleefulness that they thought it was a relatively fun choice or that it provided them with a word for something they'd been doing but they didn't know that it was called that.

**Bababam** (3:08)
People have started feeling overwhelmed and it's healthy to recognize that we're not always the perfect versions of ourselves we might feel like we have to show on social media. So is going Goblin Mode a good thing then?
The term covers a lot of different realities. For example, going against Instagram or personal development trends and societal pressure to be the best version of yourself. Goblin Mode can also be a way of owning our weaknesses. We can't always act like everything's fine when we're going through a hard time. But the rebellion of the Goblin against social norms may also be a sign of unease. Goblin Mode came from the deepest corners of the internet, with people fed up at the COVID pandemic and other situations in the world, like the war in Ukraine and the global climate crisis. If everything is going badly and we're all screwed, what's the point in even trying? If you feel in that state of laxness on a regular basis, it may be a sign of depression. Don't hesitate to talk to your loved ones or consider seeing a mental health specialist.
There you have it.
Now you know what Goblin Mode is. In under three minutes, we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts and acronyms that are making headlines. Listen along and you will really know for sure.