History and Slang – Repeat … Repeat
You know the premise that history repeats itself (general summation). What does this say about us? That we’re
not as clever and innovative as we think we are?
I get it in fashion – it’s cool to be kitschy in
vintage styles
– but when it comes to national and global issues, you would think we had
learned a few things throughout millennia.
I’ve been saying since the beginning of the
year that 2016 is a 50-year throwback, practically mirroring 1966 – and that is not a good
thing. Racism, riots, war, national poverty – sound familiar? Yet, through all
of that a half-century ago, were we as despondent as today?
Didn’t we have more hope, more leisure time,
and more lighthearted terms to describe daily life? In spite of events on the
national level, we gushed with cool, groovy, outstanding (said with att-i-tude),
even bitchin’. But whatever happened to …
As
far as words go, copacetic is a bit of an enigma in the dictionary world. Webster,
in its infinite wisdom as in the above definition, doesn’t give it much
respect, even relegating it to “Old Slang.” Wikipedia
and Wiktionary don’t
quite know what to do with it either; their definitions struggling for a clear origin.
Back
in the late 1950s and throughout the ‘60s, copacetic was our go-to word when
everything came together just right, and we needed a special term to express
and impress. Somewhere along the decades it fell out of favor … along with our predominantly
cheery attitudes.
If
everything old is new again, let’s bring copacetic back into daily use – we
need to feel its soothing, positive presence in our lives again.
Since
we’re bringing back a 1960s’ word, let’s also harken back to 1965 when Hal David and Burt Bacharach
knew what our country needed … and Jackie DeShannon gave it voice: “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” sweet love ...
No, not just for some,
but for every one …
Word of the Week: COPACETIC. Consider how you can help instill new hope in our
country, in someone else’s life, in your
life – while fitting it into your writings for the week.
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