I enjoy the spirited debate that takes place on political talk shows. Chris Matthews on MSNBC is a nightly favorite. I like Chris Wallace on Fox too, and with a pot of coffee by my side I love the Sunday morning political shows on the major networks. But lately they all bug me. The pundits are infected with “Look”, which is often followed with “here’s the deal”, or “it’s like this”.
“Here’s what deal”? Your deal?
“It’s like this”? What’s like this? The truth is like this? Says who? You?
But the worst is definitely “look” followed by an opinion, as if prefacing the statement with look gives it more weight. I don’t know why this annoys me except that it comes off as aggressive and if you have to deliver your message with aggression your message is lacking something that would otherwise allow it to stand on its own.
I love President Obama but I blame him for the “look” trend. Throughout his textbook campaign for the Presidency, I wondered why he began so many sentences with look, as in “Look, the American people are asking for better health care and better education for their children……”
OK, couldn’t you have said all that without the look part? Look usually comes before “if I told you once, I told you a thousand times, don’t talk back to your mother”, which is what look meant to me growing up.
For that reason, look is patronizing. If you were to paint what “look” looks like, I’m sure a pointed finger would be the focal point. We don’t need look to fix the problems of our country. Look is getting in the way. It makes everything that follows sound more extreme and we’re already too polarized.
Excuhoooose me Mr. President, you’re preachin’ to the choir over here. I get it. I’d vote for your health care plan if I could but please stop with the look. You’ve brought cool and intelligence to the White House and civility too, but look ruins it, like you smoking. The look that works for me is the way you gaze at your wife. Women would die to be looked at that way. So do more of that and less of the other look.
So look, the next time you watch a political round table, count the number of times the guests say “look”. Let me know if you get through one of these shows without hearing it at least five times. And thank you. I feel better now.
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Good Mornin Maureen, Again we are on the same pages politically and our evening news choices. My feeling about ( look) when I was a youngster, meant that something was going to happen damn quickly and if I did not (look) pain was involved. Do you suppose that is what they have in mind ?
Denny yes, I think so. The threat of pain is part of look. It certainly doesn’t mean “look! there’s a million dollars on the ground and you can pick it up and keep it!”
There is no “Look” in Native American culture, which is nice. Each person is given an opportunity to say whatever they have on their minds, and the listeners not only determine the value of what was said based on it’s merits, but also on the respect, politeness and courtesy displayed by the orator during its delivery. And interrupting is not an option!
Hi,
I think commentators and politicians use “look” to make them sound more “of the people” and perhaps tougher. All part of the trend towards anti-intellectualism in our society.
Yes Paul, that is a culture that works. Thank you.
Probably true Ralph, yes.
in a similar fashion, I roll my eyes when people hit me with “honestly…” at the start of their sentence. As for “look”, to me, it is “you either see it my way and be right, or you are wrong.”
Mike, that’s a good one. Honestly. I never thought about it, but you’re right, it sounds the same. Thanks.
Hi Maureen,
I work with college students daily and they start every conversation with “so”. It drives my coworker crazy! Keep up the good work. Nan
As I read the first couple of paragraphs, I thought to myself, Obama did that ALL THE TIME during his town hall meetings, and it drove me crazy. LOL, glad to see, despite respecting him, that I’m not alone. I would often turn to my husband and say, “that sounds SO condescending…” I would have been put off if I came there with a question, and the first word out of any candidates mouth, in response, was “look.” In general, he’s a wonderful orator, but in that context, he certainly is not.
Thank you Nan. Haven’t heard “so” from the pundits yet, but as soon as I do, I’ll call them on it with you.
Cathy would you like a blog job? I could not have stated it better than you. A ++ for you.
Wow – what a compliment! Thank you!
Dear Maureen, I never thought of this, thanks for the insight! Unfortunately, I wonder if you don’t reveal something bigger with this language pattern: Could Looks (as visual appearance or oral communication) be mainly what he is about???? I sincerely hope he will prove me wrong!
Thank you Valerie, we will see about the looks versus substance. The voters get the next chance in three years. xo