Generation H(ype)

This article could be the most important, significant 600 words you will read before the end of the millennium. It is on the most essential, formidable subject that this earth has ever known: Hype. The nightly news lives by it, radio stations depend on it. It is the air that fills the vacuum of silence that we as Americans so appropriately fear. The term "hype" first appeared around 1955 (the same time as Elvis?) and first meant a deception or a put-on. Then it came to be known as a promotional publicity of an extravagant or contrived kind (Webster). You will not hear a more substantial definition in your lifetime.

Hype is not new in our world. It's always been the muscle that egotistical, braggartly men pawn and the cleavage on which the women they like depend. It's the promise of the unseen. Hype is the fantasy that makes us forget the reality. That's why we are all so susceptible to it. We WANT the hype to be true. We want to win the lottery. We want our lives to be changed by choosing the right brand of jeans. Glamour magazines depend on the desire of the reader to want to look like Cindy Crawford. They hype it up. We eat it up.

Who has not said in their life, "Is that all there is?" (Boy have I heard that one a few times). We all seem to become more and more insatiable to be pleased and thus the hype has to become larger and larger. It's not "better," it's "bigger and better." It's not "improved," it's "new and improved." It's not "delicious," it's "magically delicious." Thus, we enter into a "which came first, the chicken or the egg?" debate. The hypers would say, they have to yell louder to get attention. Those being hyped would say, tone it down a notch. Either way, hype still comes at us, louder than a late-night commercial.

The saddest part of this dilemma is that hype has moved out of the promotional and advertising world and into too many other facets of our life. Our government has become especially adept at using hype in the place of real action. How else would you describe all the current gun lobbies. Tragedy after tragedy would seem to warrant something a little more than sound bytes and posturing. "Little Billy was gunned down in the streets and that's why we have a bill in the house that forces the gun buyer to wear a coat and tie before he can purchase a pistol! And we feel if we work hard enough, make enough speeches and spend enough money, our legislature will become so important in itself, that you will forget that little Billy ever existed."

Or how about our current, local mantra: "End School Violence: Wear Tight Jeans" Maybe everyone is just in denial. We can't see the forest because the reporters are interviewing all the trees on their feelings concerning JFK Jr.

It's not "used," it's "pre-owned." They aren't senior "citizens" they are senior "adults." She isn't handicapped, she's challenged. Whatever happened to sincerity and honest in anything. Are we a people just playing games of locution one-upsmanship? If I hype the newest buzzword, am I better than you? Everything is about using terms, words to make it look like we are earnest, respectful, busy. I will take a man who has spent his life helping out what he calls "retarded" kids any day over some senator who uses a "mentally challenged" platform just to win an election.

We have become people who choose hyped-hollow faux activity over action. Why else would we watch the nightly news instead of exercising? Maybe we don't "act" anymore because you can get sued that way. You could get fired by doing the wrong thing at work, so just make it look like you are doing something. If you correct someone's child, they will get mad at you. Thus we all just make our own hype about how terrible kids are. But then again, I could be making a big deal over nothing.

Billy Murphy 8/6/99