One reason popular sayings pierce the fabric of social conversationality is because the meaning of these sayings is easily conveyed. The less intellect an individual has, the more likely he or she will properly understand the conveyed phrase or saying. Clearly a claim such as this would come with disagreement, however, those with intellect may not be privy to what the majority of what the unitelligent speak of. Consider a student at Harvard University in a philosophy class. Let us then consider he or she is tasked with a writing a paper on the philosophical background of Epicureanism as a modality of the application of Hedonism. This student will not speak of #yolo, however, the meaning behind #yolo, can certainly be interpreted in very much the same way.
(These are not 'White Girls,' they're Golden Girls)
The issue the following piece will attempt to understand is how meaning is conveyed in what this writer likes to call “White Girl Speech Pathology Syndrome,” or WGSPS We will first consider a persona which unabashedly generalizes what qualifies under WGSPS. From then we will consider the role of meaning and it’s conveyance, and finally consider the phenomenological touchstone of the susceptibility of WGSPS.
White Girl Speech Pathology Syndrome Qualification
The most critical thing to know about the qualifications of WGSPS is one does not need to be white, nor a girl to be susceptible to the symptoms or condition of the syndrome. The namesake is derived from the fact that white girls are most susceptible to this syndrome.
Prime age for full blown WGSPS is between 17 and 25. Sure, puberty might be over physically, but cognitive maturation may have a hell of a ways to go. Economically these tend to be individuals who come from middle class to upper middle class, and above. The geospatial environment for their upbringing was safe, secure, and enviable.
Ideal social climate is also something that is vital for WGSPS incubation. A keen interest and understanding of the framework and structure of entertainment and pop culture is necessary. When a song comes on the pop radio the subject should be able to recognize it and be aware of variables surround the song’s artist and meaning.
Don’t believe me? Consider the classic tune Get Low, by grammy nominated artist Lil Jon. The lyrics are catchy, and the beat is great, but there was a fundamental disconnect between the meaning it had from Lil Jon’s origin and the origin of those listening to it. One of the lyrics: “SKEET SKEET,” is something a white person considers as a target for shooting with a rifle or shotgun. It is often meant for practice with bird hunting. In Lil John’s world, it meant ejaculating with such a veracity and force that it goes from the window to the wall, and it would last so long that the perspiration from his testicles becomes noticeable.
White girls love this song because of the apparent double meaning, the beat, and conveyance of meaning is taboo in a nuanced way. Dave Chappelle said it best:
Other instances of WGSPS include contemporary favorites:
- I mean
- I can’t even
- literally
- kill yourself
- #nofilter
And a few oldies, but not old enough to be ‘Throwback Thursday’ worthy:
- Swag
- #Yolo
- Tebowing
- Homie Don't’ Know Me
- Don’t be Hatin’
- Da Bomb Dot Com
Temporal Meaning
(What does that even mean?)
Meaning is not objective. Even if there was such a thing as objective meaning, the human would not be able to understand it. Meaning is derived solely from referential points in perception. The meaning of ‘Skeet,’ was different for Lil Jon than it was for his listeners.
Meaning is a two way road. There is the ascriber and the interpreter. Between the two there is a world of complicated and endless referential interpretation. The taker often misunderstands the original meaning by the intended ascriber of meaning, and can apply their own meaning. This is true in nearly every religion, political doctrine, and marriage of 10 years or more.
(Know What I’m Sayin’?)
When someone says for instance, the term “I mean,” without being prompted for explanation of meaning, it is really a cultural stressor meant to clear up a point. Tens of millions of White Girls in the English speaking world will start off a conversation with an unprompted “I mean,” and the only logical explanation is a desire to be understood a final sense. So the subject will have a thought while conversing, and respond to his or her own thought verbally as: “I mean.” A close buzz phrase related to this is “Let me be clear.” This is actually President Obama’s favorite buzz phrase:
Semantic Satiation
Words and phrases can just as easily lose meaning as gain them. One way for a word to lose its meaning real quick is to engage in semantic satiation. This is when one repeats a word or phrase over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again. It begins to lose meaning:
(10 hours of the best Bill ever)
This writer would insist that semantic satiation is not something that has to have immediacy. Things can lose meaning if said over and over again in the long run. The temporal qualifier for a popular phrase loses meaning and use as its variable nuance fades. No one says ‘hogwash,’ anymore, they say ‘bullshit.’ People would understand what it means when someone says hogwash, but it’s temporal semantic satiation has rendered it of robust meaning. Calling out someone’s hogwash isn't as bad as calling someones bullshit out, even though they’re technically derived from the same meaning.
(This guys knows whats up between yo' petty hogwash)
The Lesson Here
We started from the bottom, now we are here. We came in like wrecking balls, even if we knew this was trouble. I mean, even if we were to love this like a love song, it would still be hard to like, ugh, I can’t even.
The use of these phrases, no matter how rampant, is evidence of an unconscious conformity. Now, I’m no high school goth, but I am totally for someones individual right to decide for themselves, but the WGSPS robs individuals of that right.
