Finding the Signal: How Brain Rot! Uses Edufiction to Spark Student Dialogue on AI, Social Media, and Mental Health

In today’s classrooms, the lines between reality, technology, and emotional wellness are increasingly blurred. Students are navigating a world shaped by AI-generated content, viral trends, and digital platforms that often know their preferences better than they do themselves. As educators and parents, we face a crucial challenge: How do we empower students to think critically about what they consume online and how it shapes their mental health?

One powerful answer lies in edufiction — a genre that blends engaging narrative storytelling with educational content. Casper Pieters' Brain Rot! and its companion education guide offer a standout example of how edufiction can be used to inspire thoughtful, student-led conversations about the ethical, emotional, and cognitive effects of AI-enhanced social media.

The Story Behind the Signals At first glance, Brain Rot! reads like a fast-paced sci-fi adventure. But just beneath the surface, it becomes a deeply relevant allegory for our current digital reality. The narrative follows Zeno and Team Savv-i as they uncover a creeping digital fog caused by Big-O, a rogue AI intent on algorithmic control. Teens Bindi, Beam, and Chi begin to notice glitches in their world: looping ads, eerily perfect suggestions, and friends becoming emotionally unresponsive. These plotlines echo the real-world challenges students face, from persuasive app design to the mental fatigue of constant connectivity.

From Story to Self-Reflection What sets Brain Rot! apart is how seamlessly it transitions from fiction to self-examination. The Education Guide provides structured tools like "Fog Logs," "AI Alignment Debates," and "Zeno Tracker" activities that help students identify and reflect on patterns in their own digital lives. Through these guided reflections, they begin to recognize the emotional hooks and feedback loops embedded in the platforms they use daily.

For example, students track moments when content felt "too perfect" or when they experienced emotional shifts while scrolling. They debate whether AI should prioritize empathy, truth, or efficiency. These activities create safe, neutral entry points into challenging conversations about screen time, mental wellness, and digital manipulation — without feeling preachy or disconnected from their lived experience.

Creating a Culture of Critical Engagement In our own pilot classroom sessions, we used Brain Rot! to anchor a weeklong forum called "Find the Signal." Students created their own Fog Logs, designed ethical app mockups, and analyzed digital "glitches" in the content they consumed. The narrative gave them the language to describe what they were feeling: foggy, disconnected, emotionally nudged. Importantly, it also gave them the agency to push back, to question, and to build healthier digital habits.

Why This Works Unlike conventional curriculum approaches to digital citizenship, edufiction like Brain Rot! taps into emotion, curiosity, and narrative immersion. Students aren't just learning about AI ethics or persuasive technology — they're feeling it alongside the characters. This makes the learning stick. It fosters empathy, resilience, and the kind of reflective thinking that's essential in an AI-driven world.

Conclusion: The Power of Edufiction Brain Rot! is more than a novel. It’s a conversation starter, a mirror, and a toolkit all in one. It provides students with the means to understand and articulate how technology is influencing their world — and how they can reclaim their agency. In a time where schools risk becoming reactive to technological shifts, Brain Rot! offers a proactive path forward: one rooted in storytelling, emotional intelligence, and student voice.

For educators, librarians, and parents looking to foster thoughtful digital citizens, this is a resource worth exploring.

Visit casperpieters.com/more-adventures for printable guides, activities, and access to the full Brain Rot! education experience.

Let's help students cut the noise and find the signal.