Confusing your emotional reaction to another's action with the action itself

[Hristo Botev]

Specifically, the young folks saying something "is cringe" instead of saying that that something made them cringe; is this a harbinger of some sort of deeper generational shift from the way a Gen X person's internal brain furniture works, for example, to the way a Zoomer's brain furniture works?

Or is "that's cringe" just the latest in a centuries' long tradition of young folks identifying something based on how that something makes them react emotionally (and if so, what are some other examples?)?

Credit the latest OGB podcast for making me wonder about this: https://onlinegreatbooks.com/175-taylor ... education/

[Western Red Cedar]

I think this reflects the way each generation plays with language. The vernacular is constantly shifting.

I think the example of "is cringe" or "that's cringe" is just short for "that's cringeworthy". Maybe similar to a Gen X use of "that's wicked", "that's dope", "that's sweet", "that's righteous"?

[Jean]

since this issue is at the core of what non violent communication tries to address, and nvc is several decades old, it's probably not something new.

[bostonimproper]

+1 to what WRC said. No different from “that’s cool” or “that’s weird.” The tacked on “in my opinion” is silent.

[AnalyticalEngine]

"That's cringe" just means something is uncool or a social faux pas. Obviously, what is uncool or faux pas is subjective, but there's really no deeper meaning to it than saying "this thing is uncool."

[mathiverse]

Don't Gen X and older also say "That's embarrassing"? That seems to express the same sentiment in the same way confused way.

[ertyu]

cringe = it gives me second-hand embarassment

[black_son_of_gray]

@OP, I don't know if this was covered in the podcast (didn't listen), but, outside of the emotional context, what you are describing is essentially nominalization.

e.g. "To cringe" (verb) > is "cringe" (noun)

This process can also work backwards, e.g. "Google" (a search engine, noun)>"to google" (to search on internet, verb). Personally, I don't see any deep connection to generational differences and/or emotional reactions; I think it's just a little quirk of language.