Abstainer: “Dry January” is underway, where adherents try their darndest to abstain from alcohol throughout the month. But some people don’t wait for January to stop drinking; rather, they have integrated quitting altogether into their lifestyle.
Often referred to as “abstainers”, from the Latin “abstinere” (“withhold”, “keep back”, “keep off”), a growing number of people are embracing sobriety for a variety of reasons, saying that life without alcohol can be enjoyable and exciting, too.
Afro-veganism, Black veganism: The first month of the year is also often dedicated to eating a more plant-based, less meat-centric diet. While vegan food in Europe and North America may traditionally be marketed to white consumers, with Black Americans – the fastest growing vegan demographic in the country – the community is also developing new plant-based food offerings that expand the range.
Chefs and food professionals in various locations are being inspired by ingredients and periods figuring in the history of Black culture as well as the African diaspora, while tackling culinary prejudices.
Astrotourism: For now, taking a trip into space is only accessible to a few privileged people, but it is possible to immerse yourself in the stars while remaining on Earth. This is the concept behind astrotourism.
Specially developed vacations in this booming sector offer star lovers the chance to contemplate infinite space in the Atacama Desert in Chile, or in the Cévennes National Park in France.
Climavore: Being environmentally mindful goes beyond buying second-hand goods and taking the train instead of a flight: it also involves what one eats. A climavore diet encourages you to rethink your eating habits to reduce your ecological footprint.
Its followers prefer seasonal, local, unprocessed and unpackaged products, or packaging that is recyclable, compostable or biodegradable.
Eco-dumping: If you’ve ever broken up with a partner because you couldn’t stand to listen to them praise a sustainable brand, you’re practising eco-dumping. In other words, breaking up with someone because they don’t share your ecological convictions!
Greenhushing: Did you know that some brands work hard to create environmentally friendly products or services but prefer to not communicate their approach? Where greenwashing refers to the open communication of green marketing and strategies by eco-friendly companies, “greenhushing” is the exact opposite.
It can often be explained by the fear of being accused of opportunism or of not “doing enough” – a worry particularly prevalent among young companies.
Hangxiety: Headaches, nausea, digestive problems… the aftermath of alcohol-filled nights can present some very specific challenges, especially for those who suffer from hangxiety.
This word refers to the feeling of depression and psychological stress that can occur after excessive consumption of alcohol. It’s one reason why some become “abstainers”, as described above.
Hesidating: Not sure if you’re really ready to commit to a relationship? You may be suffering from hesidating! Derived from a combination of the words “hesitating” and “dating”, this term refers to the uncertainty that can characterise one’s love life.
Rest assured, this state of hesitation is not permanent. It can even help you determine your real expectations in love.
Hybrid manager: Remote work, flex office, flextime… in many companies, flexibility is the trend. This phenomenon demands adjustments from employers, who must deal with increasingly fragmented teams.
This is where “hybrid management” comes in, or the art of rethinking work methods to create a more flexible professional environment as a means of keeping up with the times.
Localwashing: Related to “greenwashing”, “localwashing” refers to the deceptive practice of some brands that want to sell products that are supposedly “made locally”.
To detect this kind of subterfuge, don’t just look at the flag or the big print on a product; instead make sure to read all the labels carefully.
Loss and damage: This term was on everyone’s lips at the COP27 held in November in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. This expression refers to the climate debt that the countries of the North have towards the countries of the South.
The COP27 ended with an agreement to create a fund to financially address the harm – economic and otherwise – suffered by the countries most affected by climate change.
Low-key: This term is increasingly used on social media to describe something being done in secret, in an understated fashion, chill, or “kind of”. For instance: “I’m low-key loving that song.”
The “New York Times” recently titled a story “Happy Low-Key New Year!” about a trend towards making more realistic resolutions.
Mad skills: In the same vein as hard and soft skills, mad skills are increasingly being added to job candidates’ resumés. This category focuses on “atypical” skills or competencies that will help an employee or candidate stand out in the professional sphere.
Took a sabbatical year to dedicate yourself to permaculture? Don’t hesitate to mention this mad skill on your CV!
Neo-Luddism: It may come as a surprise to some, but there are individuals who voluntarily give up their smartphones, social networks, and all other connected aspects of high-tech society.
And it’s not just the Amish: many of these Neo-Luddites have simply chosen to focus on other activities, such as reading or communing with nature.
Prompt art: Artificial intelligence is at the heart of what is nothing less than an artistic revolution. Programs such as DALL-E 2, Midjourney and Stable Diffusion allow internet users to generate the image of their choice from a textual description (or “prompt”).
Never before has it been so easy to be an artist!
Quiet (everything): The Covid crisis has profoundly altered everyone’s relationship to employment, leading to the emergence of new phrases such as “quiet quitting” and “quiet firing”.
While these terms refer to different concepts, the repeated use of the adjective “quiet” reflects the resignation of disillusioned employees… a quiet movement that is not without consequences for the labour market.
Rainbow-washing: After greenwashing and femwashing – the act of replacing established, traditionally male roles in stories, television, film or other media with females – comes “rainbow-washing.”
Like its ecological and feminist counterparts, the term refers to the appropriation of the LGBTQIA+ cause by companies for marketing purposes.
Regenuary: Launched for the first time just a year ago in the United States, “Regenuary” (a nod to “Veganuary”) is a challenge that encourages people to consume in an environmentally friendly manner; for example, by choosing seasonal goods and/or by favouring products from regenerative agriculture.
Romo: First appearing a few years ago, the expression “relief of missing out” refers to the sense of relief one feels by not keeping up with the news, which is considered too anxiety-provoking.
It is a phenomenon that is gaining more and more users, and whose acronym is directly inspired by “fomo”, although it means the exact opposite.
Shrinkflation: In the minds of many, 2022 will be associated with inflation. But consumers have observed many spin-offs in recent months – including “shrinkflation”.
This word refers to a technique practised by some commercial establishments that “discreetly” reduce the quantities of their products while charging the same price… a word that will hopefully be removed from one’s vocabulary sooner rather than later!
Skinification: Masks, shampoos, nourishing oils… nothing is too good for your hair. This love for locks is pushing manufacturers to innovate by offering a range of new products that place the scalp at the centre of one’s beauty routine, the idea being to care for your hair the way you would for your skin.
TikTokracy: More than ever, TikTok sets the pace (and many microtrends) with its feeds of short, fun and informative videos. Younger generations look to the Chinese social network for entertainment but also to be informed on a multitude of subjects.
Welcome to the era of TikTokracy.
Train bragging: You probably have already heard of “flight shaming”, a movement popularised a few years ago by environmental activist Greta Thunberg. It has given birth to a semantically less stigmatising movement – “train bragging”: being proud to take the train instead of using a more polluting form of transportation.