The term.
The laugh.
The expression.
The usage. These are what makes these letters “foolishness” coming together so exciting. Impressive yes, my few years on earth have led me to hear this term so often, especially from a particular generation. The generation that uses this term is certainly not my millennials; funny enough when they listen to it, they know what is coming after, when my daughter’s hears it, the eyes tell the shock.
I was in awe by this expression, and this is one I grew up hearing and often wonder why my opinion was not valid based on that response. Yes, maybe I have internalized it more than it has been. I thought to understand more fully I began observing the impact of this word. My work colleague who grew up in New York City uses “foolishness” that was her buzz word when things seem somewhat outside the norm, but the difference in her expression of that word comes with a big smile. She says it, and then you can wait for the laugh, it is so resounding.
My other friend from Georgia, when he uses it, there are no smiles. It’s almost like he is mad at the world. It is an expression of how could you? Say no more, his personality shifts. Those are the impact that this term has with many persons whom I met that was socialized differently. However, the common thread is that I am observing is ethnicity. Not saying you don’t hear this outside of other cultures, but it’s so popular amongst a particular ethnicity and geographic.
It makes me laugh all the time when I hear the term now; ironically, I am very conscious of not using it. My opinion is that while I understand that sometimes things do not make sense, using that word for me will not convey it all. I still see the visual scar of hearing it said from my distant relatives and a lesser extent from my mom. I believe it’s a term that will change the tone of a discussion; it can also validate too many impressions. What are your thoughts?
