Letter To Editor | Word of the Year

American dictionary organization Merriam-Webster has recently announced that its word of the year for 2023 is “authentic.” The word is in gesticulation of the rise of Artificial Intelligence and spread of misinformation on social media platforms. Every year the dictionary company publishes its word of the year, highlighting the top-searched terms, and this year’s word “authentic” was a decision that it said was driven by “stories of conversations about AI, celebrity culture, identity, and social media.” Although the importance of authenticity transcends all kinds of industries and walks of life, it is a term that resonates with those of us working within the cyber-security industry in particular. Interestingly, Merriam-Webster’s word of the year for 2022 was “gaslighting”, which is a commonly misused therapy buzzword, and in a way this word is opposite to “authentic.” Living in the digital age, the rise of Artificial Intelligence has left us in obscurity to separate what is real and what is fake. Social media, while offering unprecedented opportunities for global interaction, has unfortunately contributed to a culture that values quantity over quality. As the all-important question of truth and facts continue to dominate current affairs, it comes as no surprise to learn that Merriam-Webster’s word of the year 2023 is “authentic.” It is time to strike a balance between the virtual and the real, fostering relationships that stand the test of authenticity.

Ranganathan Sivakumar

Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now

Be Part of Quality Journalism

Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast.

ACT NOW