I care, right?

THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2010


I care, right?
In high school we had a motto almost like the Boy Scouts. The difference was that it certainly was not “Be Prepared”.


In high school we were seldom willing or inclined. We prided ourselves in that fact. When confronted with evidence we were unqualified, untrained or unprepared we echoed in unison our motto: I care, right?


This catch phrase was repeated over and over and over.

If sent to detention… I care, right?

If threatened with not graduating because we skipped school to go fishing or go to the beach… I care, right?

It was one of those things like "The Godfather", the answer to almost everything. It was perfect for us who had little interest in what our teachers or parents wanted or what they did or thought we should do. We just hunched our shoulders and said… repeat after me: I care, right?

We didn’t trust anyone over thirty let alone give a darn what they thought. This was not always the best tactic especially since many of our high school teachers were Catholic priests. “I care, right?” was usually followed by a slap across the face or getting hit by the nearest and hardest thing around. If you answered Father Dennehy with that motto something would come crashing down to the back of the skull… something like a meter stick or his five pound History of the World textbook. Father Dennehy had been the Golden Gloves Champion of Ireland and he had not lost his touch. He heard our motto less than most of the other teachers.

Violence could not change our attitude or how we felt. We remained entrenched in our intransigent laissez-faire verbal riposte. We never thought of it as indifference. Rather, we felt it was insurgence. We were very INTO rebellion. Boomers remained radical through college. Students marched, protested, burned. Adults shot guns, drafted us to fight wars we did not understand or agree with, jailed us if we did not obey. Kids drove across country to participate in protests. Authority was revolting.


Finally outrage outpaced apathy. Little good could come of that. Right then we proved the adage that history repeats itself. We went back to the familiar and hung on for dear life.

The Boomers invented the modern equivalent of their motto long before “Homer Simpson” eloquently echoed that motto. “I care, right?” is precisely MEH.

“Homer: Kids, how would you like to go... to Blockoland!
Bart & Lisa: Meh.
Homer: But the TV gave the impression that--
Bart: We said "meh".
Lisa: M-E-H. Meh.”


Fewer beatings or fire hose soakings are administered now so frustration of the ruling party must be less brutal. Is it really because people care less?

Surprisingly, the typical adult reaction to the younger generation’s apathy is like a pinball caught between two bumpers. When lack of interest is shown by young people today the most frequent response is MEH, just like that stainless ball bearing bouncing off the fat rubberband.

Why not? The old goats invented it. It was their motto. It rapidly is becoming the chosen response to almost anything.

Kids may think they are rebelling today but insensitivity is a two way street. Maybe the adults’ reaction is their own conditioned response and revolt.


I care, right?

MEH.


This is hard to say that when confronted by all those barrels of oil. Maybe it is time once again for outrage to outpace apathy.

© 07.15.2010 steven d philbrick SR+ DakotaDawg