February 15, 2009

Apropos to nothing, I don’t like it when people call me “bro.” There’s no real reason for it, and it’s not like it’s a big deal, but that particular term doesn’t sit well with me. Even if it comes from somebody with whom I’m close, even if my own brother calls me “bro,” I don’t like it. And when it comes from a relative stranger, it’s even harder to take, though it’s not nearly as bad as being called “bra.” “Howsit going, bra?”

“Whatcha upta, bra?” What am I up to? I’m going over here, away from somebody who just called me bra, bro. The only thing worse is being referred to as “bro-han.”

The one that really gets to me though, and again, there’s no big reason, is “spot on.” Oh, that observation is “spot on.” What a “spot on” assessment of the situation. Makes me want to paint a “spot on” your forehead so I know where to aim.

I think my distaste for “spot on” came from a habitual and unhealthy reading of politically fueled on-line message boards. I don’t post myself, since I have a whadaycall it, life, but I do read them from time to time to see what other people think and challenge my own perceptions and opinions. Someone would post an opinion on something, and if one of the “pay attention to me, pay attention to me, me me me me me me me I know everything posters agreed, they’d comment that the first poster was “spot on.”

That didn’t really start to get under my skin until I realized that the me me me me trolls would say “spot on” when they agreed with the initial poster, but hurl insults when they held an opposing point of view. I like a healthy airing of a difference of opinion, and enjoy a raucous debate, but it bothers me to think that what passes for intelligent discourse in this county boils down to, “I disagree and therefore you’re stupid” instead of a spirited exchange of ideas.

And now that I’ve revealed this minor pet peeve, I’m sure everyone who reads this will make it a point to tell me that I’m “spot on, bra.”

If you’ve got a relatively innocuous word or phrase that gets under your skin, feel free to let me know, so I can share it with the class. You can shoot me an email at paturban@thebus.net. If I get some good ones, maybe I can share it in a future blog entry. Too bad we don’t have a message board, so people with too much free time can tell those that aren’t “spot on” how stupid they are. Bro.