Yesterday was December 8th.

I normally do not enjoy reading the news. It always feels too fresh, too loud, as if events are served to people before they have even finished cooking. A rushed flavor, and an environment that is far too open to manipulation. So I have always kept my distance from the news.

But yesterday I came across a headline that made me think not about the event itself but about the language of the news.

The Oxford Dictionary chose the word of the year for 2025. “Rage Bait.” In other words, baiting anger. Triggering people on social media, turning them against one another for no real reason, all for the sake of engagement.

I will admit, I paused when I saw it. Because the word itself perfectly captured the mood of the modern world.

Today, it is not information that holds value. It is provocation. Cal ...