Saturday, May 10, 2025

mmmmdcxcviii

The Cunning Lingoes of Youth

I have such important things
going on that I want to tell you,
but I can’t stop thinking about
the idea of being made fun of
for doing something rude and
being obviously unaware of it.
Of what I was doing that was
rude. This is a hypothetical,
actually, that is based on a
voluminous list of redundant
and grim incidents. I realize it 
could happen anywhere at any
time and I’d be none the wiser.
Perhaps this is normal, happens
to all of us, but I worry about
performing acts of unintentional
rudeness or being caught totally 
unaware that what just came out 
of my mouth or off of my page is
derogatory or embarrassingly 
inaccurate.  Or getting caught 
using outdated language. Or reacting 
inappropriately just because I have
completely misunderstood some new
lippity smack. When I know this has
just occurred, I will accept my mistake, 
promptly apologize for doing whatever 
it was that I did.  Is everyone just 
making fun of me because I’m older?
And all this time I’d been waiting
my turn so that I could go around
preaching at all the younger folks
about how things were in my day
and how never to sass, etc.  When 
I’d have the upper hand in such 
matters. But of course there’s
always been generation gap lingo.
Elders would tut-tut or act mortally
offended when whippersnappers
sling out their newfangled catch-
phrases. The upstarts never seem
bothered by this.  These days
the new lingo of the lithest of our
populous seem complex, twisting
traditional definitions of words or
phrases in ways meant specifically 
to insult anyone over a certain age. 
Was it always this way? Where the
intent lies so specifically in confusing, 
confounding and generally screwing 
with all of the rest of us? Perhaps.
But I’ve not been here before. And 
am left to wonder if I’ll ever have 
the advantage I spent a lifetime 
awaiting. And I am all but certain
that the answer is that I will not.

i came i saw i had anxiety i left