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