America is slowly becoming a more pitying, more sympathetic society. Many public school systems have now abolished the use of the letter “F” in assigning grades, believing that directly informing kids of their failure is too harsh. Children are now even rewarded for some of the most basic requirements of public education, such as perfect attendance. In this cultural climate, it therefore came as no surprise to me when rumors spread about adding a “Meh” button to Facebook.
Conversations about a “Meh” button began in response to discussions that arose after the creation of the “Like” button in April 2010. Users wanted an opposing button that allowed them to express their dissatisfaction at content posted by friends. While a “Dislike” option never materialized, a third party developer did create a “Meh” button that is available for download.
I was initially skeptical about this button, believing it would augment the soft mindset many Americans had grown accustomed to. However, before jumping to conclusions, I thought I should first research exactly what the word “meh” means. I went to my go-to source for vocabulary lessons, www.dictionary.com. I mean, if it’s going to be a new button on Facebook’s 500 million-user network, it should at least be in the dictionary, right? Luckily, it was. Dictionary.com defined the word as “an expression of indifference or boredom.” However, it was listed as slang. What I found even more interesting was the word’s origins as a term frequently used by Simpsons character Bart Simpson to express his indecisiveness about issues he faces.
WTF! Am I the only one even a slight bit perturbed by this? You may think I am overreacting at such a trivial matter, but when you take a deeper look at the sociological implications of what a “Meh” button may hold, you’ll be thankful I’m informing you of this injustice before it gets too far. Soon, we’ll be giving awards to kids in athletic competitions for just finishing a race or for coming in second. Wait, that already happens. How can we advance in a society where those who do not meet standards set by leaders are not held accountable? Where is the motivation to excel when society has told you it’s perfectly fine to be mediocre?
Do you think countries such as China, our competition in practically every conceivable industry, are telling their youth “Yes, we are content with you placing second” and “By the way, here is a giant sculpture of you to show our gratitude”? No! Countries that are now kicking our tails in essentially every market strive only for excellence. If you don’t believe that, check the tag on the pants you’re wearing while reading this article. Yes, I know they’re made in China. They’re kicking our butts and then handing us clothes to soften the impact.
Our satisfaction with mediocrity in this, the most powerful country in the world, needs to stop. And it starts with my adamant disapproval of this “Meh” button. But if for some odd reason you disagree with the opinions voiced in this column or find it lacking, you can “Meh” me on my Facebook page, for all it’s worth, and I’ll take that as a compliment because for my entire life that’s what I’ve been conditioned to do.
Dekunle Somade is a senior finance major. He can be reached at somade at umdbk dot com.
