Paradox of My Character: A review of Dick Meyer's Why We Hate Us

People who know me personally know that I yearn to move out of the United States. Why, they would ask? I tell them that I despise America for its futile arguments over controversial issues, its sudden attentiveness for the environment, and its exploitative use of media.

One day, I was picking up at book on the hold shelf in the library. As I rushed across the library to check it out (I forgot to feed the parking meter), a title stopped me in my tracks. It was called “Why We Hate Us: American Discontent in the New Millennium by Dick Meyer. I was surprised. I couldn’t believe there was a book about this. I found out later, every word Meyer wrote were my exact same thoughts, except with better wording.

Meyer explains that our discontent is fueled by bullshit, belligerence, and boorishness, which are brought on by phoniness and the revolution of technology. The more I read, the more my thoughts unraveled and the more cynical I became (as if I wasn’t cynical enough already). At the same time, I felt myself unraveling. I came to realize that Meyer was talking about me. I was shocked. I always thought I was part of the solution, but Meyer says differently. I am why we hate us.

Truthiness

I talk a lot of bullshit, but not a lot of people are able to spot it. I call it truthiness, a term coined by Stephen Colbert. Now in the Webster’s dictionary, truthiness is defined in two ways: 1) truth that comes from the gut, not books, and 2) the quality of preferring concepts of facts one wishes to be true, rather than concepts of facts known to be true. When truthinesses clash, it’s a pointless argument ready to happen.

I make you believe that natural and fair trade products are good for you and for the people on the other side of the world, despite the fact that natural doesn’t always mean the ingredients were obtained fairly or that fair trade is really that fair.

I disable you as a fan of a certain music artist just because I don’t like their music. I don’t have a legitimate reason to not like them, but I embellish my reason to make it sound reasonable just so I have something to say.

I just demonstrated Meyer’s theory that belligerence flows from bullshit. Meyer writes, “The idea of choosing goods and values individually, by taste and preference, is what truthiness is all about. It actually has a philosophic pedigree. It is called ‘emotivism,’ a term resurrected by MacIntyre from early nineteenth-century British philosophy. In After virtue, MacIntyre defines it this way: “emotivism is the doctrine that all evaluative judgments and, more specifically, all moral judgments are nothing but expressions of preference, expressions of attitude or feeling.” So in this view there is no difference between saying ‘the death penalty is wrong’ and ‘I don’t like the death penalty.’ ‘Gay marriage is immoral’ is just another way of saying ‘I don’t like gay marriage.’ Now you see why we are getting nowhere with issues of gay rights and abortion.

Belligerence

“The need to make others wrong has turned into an addiction,” writes Meyers. That is very true…for me. As a former debater, I am unable to let go of my debating habit. To win a round, all I have to do is prove to the judge that the other party wrong.

Another habit obtained from debating, is producing arguments that are not necessarily the view of one’s own beliefs. I have also brought this habit into my world outside of debate. I can, on the spot, make up a plausible explanation for (almost) anything to provoke an argument; because I am convinced I can prove you wrong 90% of the time.

We are faced with belligerence all the time, especially on TV. Do you know what is common in all those reality shows? Drama. Contestants are always fighting with each other. Meyer compares reality TV to voyeurism, “part of the allure of reality TV is the voyeuristic thrill of watching real people fight and melt down—and the performers deliver. Game shows goad contestants into catfights. We enjoy watching the naked aggression of exhibitionists. We find it entertaining, even soothing.” Remember the Jerry Springer Show and all the fights hunky Steve had to break up?

Balkinization

This is, in some way and not, where I offend America the most. Meyer defines cultural Balkinization as “exaggerated attachments to a point of view or single issue.” People place identifiers on themselves every day. I’ll point myself out. I call myself a tennis player, a swimmer, and a gymnast. In reality, I can’t serve, it takes me 32 seconds to swim 50 meters, and I can’t do the splits.

Identifiers are very common these days. Meyer takes it to the next level to say that “people have an increased need to display badges of their own personal ‘Balkin states’ to the world with the whole branding concept in fashion and marketing” which I am guilty of.

Balkinization leads to a type of phoniness, called artificiality. I never noticed my artificiality until I walked into a certain Wal-mart. Every time I walk into that certain Wal-mart, I get jeers and stares. It’s a little uncomforting. Then I realize it might be what I am wearing and carrying into the store—a Coach purse and shoes, Armani Exchange t-shirt.

Why We Hate Us brought my life into perspective. Usually with these kinds of epiphany, I find myself trying to minimize these traits. However, I feel I am unable to make myself more authentic or stop from starting an argument when opportunity arises. Meyer offers a remedy to make us belittle our hatefulness. To sum it up in one sentence, he says “strive to make thoughtful choices using a sound moral temperament.” I guess acknowledging my hatefulness is a start.

Pay Attention to How You Say It

I’m really cranky today. It’s all because of one question: Do you want to join us for clean up? Of course I don’t. It’s just a question, and it wasn’t asked in any way rude at all. What is really bothering me is the semantic of the question. Semantics is the study of language, often used in ordinary language to denote a problem of understanding that comes down to word selection or connotation. I can get really anal when it comes to word selection and connotation.

While working as a staff writer for the school newspaper and having my editor tell me that my sentences are too vague or ambiguous, I started noticing the vagueness and ambiguity in the spoken language. I was “writing like I speak”, as people tell me to do.

My outrage over poor semantics is also stimulated by “Yes I can” followed by inaction in response to the question “Can you hand me the _____?” Although said jokingly, it makes me sound stupid.

It’s really annoying when people take the context for granted. For the most part, misunderstanding will come about from the difference in interpersonal communications. Because of such vagueness and ambiguity, what is said may be misinterpreted by the other person. It also makes you sound stupid and a little conceited. Either you have limited vocabulary and is unable to express yourself, or you expect everyone to know what you are referring to.

Back to the question at hand: Do you want to join us for clean up? Like I said before, no I don’t. In context, it is more of a command than a question; however, putting it in that way gives the askee the option to say yes or no. You could start with “Can you…?” but that would just feed my rage. I am not an etymologist, but I think the proper way would be to say “Come help us clean up.” It will limit the responses and will do a better job of calling someone to action.

It takes an above average effort for me to deal with poor semantics. I can understand if one’s usage of English is translated from another language, since English is a bit weird. But if one is proficient in English and say to me “What time is it? I need a watch,” then I will definitely tell you “It’s time to get a watch.”

Another thing that really annoys me is redundant phrases, or tautology. The book Armed Gunmen, True Facts, and Other Ridiculous Nonsense: A Compiled Compendium of Repetitive Redundancies is self-explanatory.

Brand Logos are Due for a Change

During these last two or three years (coincidentally during the time of recession), many brands have redesigned their logos and remodeled their storefront. Target and Disney stores have been remodeled.Wal-Mart, Coach, Starbucks, Borders and Saks Fifth Avenue, among others, have redesigned their logos. These are just a few brands that I have noticed.

A successfully redesigned logo is one that no one notices. The only reason I noticed the afore-mentioned logos is because I encounter them much too often for my own good. Redesigning a logo is a strategy to give the company a fresh look.

After 17 years, Wal-Mart’s sharp, uppercase letters spelling out the name of the company and the pointy star that serves as a hyphen (as described by BusinessWeek, btw, who also has a new logo) have been replaced by rounded, lowercase letters and a sunburst-like symbol. This new symbol feels friendlier with its new font. However, the sunburst doesn’t exactly shout “Wal-Mart” to me.

I think of cheap, non-branded items when I hear Wal-Mart. I would rather go to Target because in my mind, for some reason, they can provide me with higher quality merchandise. I was informed by an article in MSN Money that as the recession drags on, Wal-Mart has attracted more upscale, budget-conscious consumers, or “Target shoppers.” Target pulls in more consumers by bringing in well-known designers names to their merchandise and remodeling their stores to give a more department store feel.

At the same time, Wal-Mart mimics the strategy of its rival. Just the other day at Wal-Mart, I noticed a certain line of clothing—Miley Cyrus/Max Azria. I’m thinking, “I’ve seen Max Azria in the upper-scale part of Macy’s and Nordstrom; how in the world did they get him in here?”

Analysts say, “Wal-Mart isn’t exactly copying Target. Its brand-name strategy has a Wal-Mart twist. Instead of pursuing fashion-forward brands, Wal-Mart is looking to revitalize classic, recognizable brands as well as offer low prices on the big-name electronics and home appliances sold by competitors.”

I’ve only discovered Wal-Mart in college. I know of no Wal-Marts 15 miles from where I live. Once I move back home, I don’t see a point in looking for one. The only times I pay a visit to Wal-Mart is because I need to get something at 2 am, I can’t get the product at Target, or I don’t care about the quality.

Is Wal-Mart the new Target? Joseph Feldman, a senior retail analyst at Telsey Advisory Group, says, “I am realistic that [Wal-Mart is] not going to keep everybody who has traded down to them. But I think they are going to keep a lot of them. [As for Target], it leaves them in a fine position. It is still going to be a bit more fashion-forward than you would find at Wal-Mart, and that customer will return.”

Check out some redesigned logos here at If It's Hip, It's Here.