There’s an attitude in the air. It’s gone public. Some call it “meh”or more sophisticatedly, SO?
Meh is boredom, a version of blasé, perhaps carelessness. At any rate, the world seems to have attitudinal MEH right now. The origins of the word is NOT, mercifully Latin and might be Yiddish, paraphrased as “I’m not really impressed right now.” A public yawn!
Meh is contagious and highly tempting right now in this United States, which is also frightening. I found one example in a small story that first appeared in the Washington Post newspaper about the concert violinist, Joshua Bell, who agreed to participate in a street experiment in 2022. He played several famous classical pieces of music standing on a subway platform with a beggars’ cup for coins. Passersby (1,097) passed by. A few tossed coins ( $32.17) in his cup, and a few made lethargic comments as if to say MEH.
The story made me weep and wish for a small child who would stop, pull at her/his parent’s coat tails and beg—yes beg, even tantrum, perhaps begin to dance to the busker’s tunes, even threaten to “moon” in public. But no MEH!
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Do we stop and listen today? It’s 2024 and holiday time. Do we STOP to listen —actually HEAR, each other? Aging is no excuse for practicing meh.
I close with a small/huge spiritual reminder for meh prevention from Rumi, ancient thirteenth century Islamic poet and wise theologian:
THERE IS A FORCE WITHIN YOU THAT GIVES YOU LIFE. SEEK THAT.
