mirror neuron
Mirror neurons are clusters of brain cells that fire both when you perform an action and when you observe someone else performing it, a built-in simulation for empathy’s sake. Touted as the ultimate key to human connection, they’ve been repurposed into an extension of the social-media like button. Utter “mirror neurons at work,” and you acquire an impenetrable shield in any emotion-driven meeting. Far more often, they’re harnessed to ride on others’ feelings and fuel one’s own self-indulgence. Usage example: She claimed “My mirror neurons picked up your loneliness,” all while bragging about her follower count.