How goblin mode is taking over the world

Should we adopt "vampire mode" instead? Yesterday, “goblin mode” was named the Oxford word of 2022. But one gothic expert suggests we should follow the example set by vampires instead. Lying in bed all day, watching reality television and munching on crisps. These are the characteristics of “goblin mode”, the winner of a public vote to name the Oxford English Dictionary word of the year.1 In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, people took to TikTok and Instagram to show off their home baking and workouts. Now, millions of people are cancelling their plans and putting on their pyjamas.2 “Everyone is so perfect all the time online,” says author Cat Marnell. “It is good to get in touch with the strange little creature that lives inside you.”  But now one gothic expert says there is a simple problem: goblinsA mischievous, ugly creature resembling a dwarf. There are multiple types of goblin, from the Highland fuath to the French gobelin.  are not good role models.  “A goblin is seldom welcomed, even by its own kind,” writes academic Sam GeorgeGeorge is a lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire in the UK. She is an expert on gothic and vampire literature. . A goblin would never sit at home, silently watching television. Some goblins constantly play mischievous but harmless pranks. Others are more dangerous, luring unsuspecting victims into danger.  George has a different suggestion: "vampire mode". It sounds surprising. The world’s most famous vampire, Count DraculaThe novel Dracula by Bram Stoker was first published in 1897. There have been numerous film and television adaptations. , travelled to England to drink the blood of innocent people.  But in recent years, vampires have undergone a transformation. The sparkling Cullen family in the Twilight franchise refuse to kill humans. Unlike goblins, vampires in popular culture today aspire to be good, not evil. “The problem is that once you go goblin, it’s hard to go back,” says writer Rebecca Reid. “Before you know it, you’re in full recluse mode.”  “It’s time we stopped languishing like goblins and started flourishing as newly born vampires,” adds George. The vampires of today’s teen fiction go to school, take part in sports and make friends.  For social media users today, there is a choice to make: slobbing out and giving up like a goblin or sparkling outdoors post-lockdown like a vampire. Should we adopt vampire mode instead? High stakes Yes: It is better to get up and go out like today’s teen vampire heroes than to lie indoors. Vampire mode is not about drinking blood or sleeping in coffins. It is about embracing what life has to offer. No: There is nothing wrong with goblin mode, as long as it is in moderation. People today face constant pressure to be successful and active. But we all need time to rest and recharge. Or... Both terms are fundamentally meaningless. People in goblin mode are not really acting like goblins. And until they grow pointy teeth, people in vampire mode are not really acting like vampires. Keywordsgoblins - A mischievous, ugly creature resembling a dwarf. There are multiple types of goblin, from the Highland fuath to the French gobelin.