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Rage Bait
Once again, Oxford University Press has presented their "word of the year". It’s not a grand occasion for most, and even though I usually take note of it, rarely does it claim more than a few moments of my attention or reflection.
And then there was 2025. And then there was 2025’s word of the year, which has been stuck in my head for several days now.
The word of the year is “rage bait”. And many of you will probably already know that my first reaction was simple: “That’s cheating; ‘rage bait’ is two words.”
If you’re not aware of what it means, I would bet you’re aware of its use. Rage bait is defined as: online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive, typically posted in order to increase traffic to or engagement with a particular web page or social media account.
In short, and albeit pointless frustration, I couldn’t help but wonder if Oxford was rage baiting us by naming “rage bait” their word of the year. Because it’s not a word, it’s two words. Even though together they carry a unique meaning, that still doesn’t make them a word. An expression, sure, but still a phrase.
Now, on the off chance you’re still reading my petty orthographic rant, the larger reason “rage bait” has stuck with me this week is what it represents. Let me share Oxford’s reflection:
With 2025’s news cycle dominated by social unrest, debates about the regulation of online content, and concerns over digital wellbeing, our experts noticed that the use of rage bait this year has evolved to signal a deeper shift in how we talk about attention – both how it is given and how it is sought after – engagement, and ethics online.
And this is what fascinates me, and where my mind has been this week in preparation for Sunday: Where is our attention drawn, and what is the motivation behind those vying for it? Rage baiting is inherently dishonest, but the feelings of “anger or outrage” it’s designed to elicit often mean we’re not probing for dishonesty, we’re searching for security, for sanity, for sanctuary.
What do we expect to see? What do we intend to see? These questions guide more than online engagement and ethics; they are a big part of our Advent journey towards Christmas and the gift of the Christ child. There will be ample avenues and options offered by “rage bait” and its many cousins, but we are intentionally in this season of preparation in the hopes that we will see their dishonesty for what it is, and settle into a richer, more loving, and honest experience.
Grace and Peace bait-ingly yours,
Rev. Ben Richards
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