"Goblin mode" is the Oxford Dictionary word of the year

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It refers to riding on wolves and arguing about whether or not your family tree extends back to Faerie.

Wait, that's not right ...

Oxford Word of the Year 2022

‘Goblin mode’ – a slang term, often used in the expressions ‘in goblin mode’ or ‘to go 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.’

Although first seen on Twitter in 2009, goblin mode went viral on social media in February 2022, quickly making its way into newspapers and magazines after being tweeted in a mocked-up headline. The term then rose in popularity over the months following as Covid lockdown restrictions eased in many countries and people ventured out of their homes more regularly. Seemingly, it captured the prevailing mood of individuals who rejected the idea of returning to ‘normal life’, or rebelled against the increasingly unattainable aesthetic standards and unsustainable lifestyles exhibited on social media.

You know how to really reject the increasingly unattainable aesthetic standards and unsustainable lifestyles exhibited on social media? Ride a wolf.

 

[Yora]

I never heared or seen anyone use this combination of words.
Did nothing else happen in 2022?

 

[Malmuria]

I never heared or seen anyone use this combination of words.
Did nothing else happen in 2022?

It's a whole thing

Goblincore

Goblincore is an aesthetic based on the appreciation of aspects of nature not typically regarded as beautiful. These aspects can range from animals such as frogs and snails to materials such as moss, mud, plants, and fungi such as mushrooms. A part of this beloved "ugliness" is the Goblin...

aesthetics.fandom.com

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I never heared or seen anyone use this combination of words.

It's an extremely online phrase. If you are not terminally on social media, especially Millennial- and Gen Z-skewing areas of it, you wouldn't have seen it.

 

[Retreater]

My wife calls herself a "dice goblin" - is that related?

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

Never heard of it. Considering the most recent pop culture use of goblins, I'm relieved it has nothing to do with rape.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Looks around my office, with its decorative gourds and shiny rocks, typing this while wearing fingerless gloves...

 

[TwiceBorn2]

The term normalizes racist attitudes vs. goblins, who are as worthy of respect and appreciation as any other species.

 

[GreyLord]

Next up...all 13 of the D&D fanatics riot as they ascribe goblin mode as being a discriminative word against their 'chosen' lifestyle...

(This is tongue in cheek people...just saying this before I get crucified atop a spike on the top layer of the abyss to the grunts and cheering hisses of goblin mode fanbois everywhere...)

 

[MarkB]

You know how to really reject the increasingly unattainable aesthetic standards and unsustainable lifestyles exhibited on social media? Ride a wolf.

I'm pretty sure my life would be unsustainable if I tried riding a wolf. And so would the wolf's, if I succeeded.