Where do they live? I want to beat them senseless. "Whatever" has
become the most overused phrase of the mid-'90s, replacing tried-and-true
standards like "like", "totally", "cool", and that Massachusetts standby,
"pissah". It's become the mantra of an entire generation.
I'll admit that, due to all the syllables present, "whatever" can hold a
variety of meanings, from acknowledgement to sarcasm to bitter resentment.
In that sense, it's useful. But now, as the ironic phrase of the ironic generation
in the ironic decade, it strikes me as a sign that the end is nigh.
A recent New Republic article even pointed out Bob Dole's use of the phrase,
using it to touch upon his sense of irony (it has to do with the war and why
he's always got a pen in his right hand - do some history research for the rest).
Bob Dole? Gen X icon? I don't think so.
So find a new phrase, please, America. Anything'll do. Sure, "whatever" goes
well with irony, but can't we come up with a slogan that's a little less likely to be
co-opted by a geriatric presidential candidate? Or just find a phrase that's a
better example of the richness of the English language?
Whatever.
-Josh Turiel