Discover the 9 words that matter in 2023
This is not new: the words that dominate the surrounding discourse reflect our concerns. A look at what’s currently filming.
Yes, certain words gradually take their place in the international press, social networks, and then in everyday language, until they mark the paths of thought. Temporary jargon or profound trend? These terms always show up on our radar in search of words that announce tomorrow’s topics anyway. Google supports trending indexes. So, not a crystal ball, but between intuition and statistics, we can paint a picture of the elements of language that will influence our thinking in 2023.
Leave it alone
After the Covid episode, we all dreamed of an ideal world where hybrid work would be the positive sanction of the living nightmare. No, you will have to iron it. In 2023, the blurring between professional and personal life translates into general frustration and unprecedented voluntary resignation rates. However, mass resignations have been muted in favor of a more insidious and elusive phenomenon: leave quietly. Because after the great resignation of those who beat the door to see whether the grass is greener in the CAP dough or another box, many calm their passions, reconcile with their troubles and bank loans.
The plan? Keep your job and your paycheck while meeting the union minimum. The idea is to create a profitable work/life ratio. How? By working as little as possible: extended lunch breaks, remote working, spreading tasks that can be completed in an hour over several days. A modern way to dive into the background without the knowledge of HR and bosses who will sooner or later find the pot of roses.
Google queries for this term suddenly increased at the end of 2022. The growth of this social network, which has 882 million members (most of them in the United States), is explained by several reasons, in particular, massive layoffs and a boiling job market among workers. new recruitment of modern employees. LinkedIn’s success is also undoubtedly due to the smell of the Christmas tree at Facebook, which has laid off 10% of its workforce. Selfies taken with mom, baby or dog are now more focused on professional life on the social network. It was as if it was fashionable to show one’s personal life, even one’s flaws and weaknesses, in a world increasingly occupied by robots.
Decline
In the United States, this word has been banned from the dictionary. announced palabra non grata By Joe Biden, however, is very much present in press articles and other online content. The word has a dangerously steep upward curve, including France; the word is used twelve times more than a year ago (November 2021).
GINKS, Green inclination No children
Acronym GINKS refers to environmentalists who refuse to have children in the name of saving the planet. Malthusianism, the politically correct version 2020. Who would believe it? Born in 1766, the Anglican pastor who doubled as an economist is back in fashion. Growth and sobriety become key values for the coming months. A decrease in the birth rate leads to an increase in the number of pets per inhabitant as a result.
Growth would be a virtuous and socially valuable behavior. Let’s not forget that this says that the GINK movement knows its limits: people, not pets, will find the solutions to future problems.
Profitable
In 2021, the chaos of fundraising with multiple Linkedin posts gave way to bankruptcy filings and layoffs. The king is bare, the coffers are empty, and without private equity funding, startups are challenged to show their credentials (and a viable business model). The word is used twice as often in 2022 as in 2020, reflecting a more pronounced concern.
In times of crisis, the concept of profitability is valued more than ever. No “see you later”. Everyone has to prove himself quickly, without the influence of gol or rhetorical art. Word “ Show me the money » comes back strong.
Distance
The telecommuting habits established during Covid have generally given workers a taste for luxury. The idea that always comes up is: can we replace the table?
Health at work
Are we crazier than before, or has the threshold of tolerance lowered? Either our mental well-being has deteriorated, or companies are taking the opportunity cost of burnout more and more seriously. Be that as it may, this is a fact that is gaining more and more attention and is especially supported by private companies (Alan, Moka, Teale, etc.).
Empathy
Why is this word used twice as much in web content in France or the US than it was a year ago? In a world where everyone works in their corner, we talk about empathy… The word “kindness” has not been left behind for two years and seems to belong to the lexicon of psychology, which is increasingly penetrating our vocabulary.
Note: the two words “kindness” and “empathy” simply refer to kindness and kindness. According to Christian definitions, often associated with too naive (too good, too stupid), they fell into disuse.
As if a word could stop the violence of economic reality (valuations being cut in half, the most flexible hiring market, massive layoffs). The latest symptom to date: a massive social plan that got a lot of attention from Elon Musk, who thanked half of his workforce overnight by SMS. Note that it is form rather than substance that marks souls.
Carbon footprint
Whether we act to reduce it or not, the carbon footprint is at the heart of our concerns. Transportation, leisure and vacation choices, car purchases are influenced daily by this fundamental theme, especially among younger generations. The result of this reality is a renewed interest in eco-concern, frugality, thrift.
In the 1980s, riding a bike and not owning a car, avoiding flying and vacationing in France, consuming less meat and eating seasonal vegetables, repairing appliances and wearing second-hand clothes…were disgusting behaviors. They were options reserved for the poor. Similarly, the absurd idea of keeping the temperature at 19 ° C or not going to a football match.
Today, trends have changed, sobriety and moderation IN. Yesterday, marginals, choices like Greta Thunberg, became mainstream. These are even acts of good citizenship displayed with pride. “ Aurea mediocritas » , according to Horace, the measure is gold. We return to ancient and stoic wisdom. Who knows how we will look at us in 2060 and the 2020s. Oh tempora, oh more*, as another said.
*To translate: “What a period! What manners! »
