Every four years I go into this near-death state that now involves endless hours online, reading the latest of the latest on politics, polls and positions. It's a fairly soul-sucking experience bringing little gratification. This time around it's compounded, however, as every article is accompanied by web video of a talking head, pundit or actual politician (except Sarah Palin, of course, who is more mythical unicorn-like creature than actual person, unless you're Katie Couric).
This go-around I can't hear the substance (if there is any) through the noise of one single, seemingly innocuous word that is simply driving me insane.
"Look."
Look is shorthand for "I'm about to tell it to you straight" (the assumption being that up until now we've just been having nonsensical small talk). It also implies you're not paying attention, or that perhaps you're a moron. Pundits and especially campaign managers are like crack-addicts with Look...they can't speak two sentences without throwing it out there (Tucker Bounds of the McCain camp uses it more often than a teenager uses 'Like'). Barack Obama is a champion Looker. Those who are new to the game, the fresh pundit-wannabees are less comfortable with the word, but you can see them testing their chops, tossing out an experimental "Listen..." to see how it lands.
Sarah Palin should jump on the Look train. It would give us some indication that she's about to speak a well-formed thought so we'd know when to pay attention.
Look, i'm just trying to say it's annoying, and any right-headed god-fearing country-loving American would agree, except the out of touch fill-in-the-blank-here.
And don't get me started on "Fundamental."
