By Merlin Lessler
“Selfie” is the word of the year! According to the editors
at The Oxford Dictionary who make the selection. It’s a word that’s been around
for a decade or more, but they claim its use has increased by 17,000% this
year. I don’t know how they know that, it sounds like a made up number to me.
Or, maybe they got their information from the eavesdroppers over at the NSA. It
doesn’t matter, they picked it as word of the year; it’s in the dictionary and
it has gone “viral,” to use a word that went viral itself a few years back. In
case you live in a pop culture cave, like a lot of my old coot crowd, a selfie
is a picture you take of yourself, holding a smart phone at arms length in
front of you. Though, you can do it with a dumb phone like mine, or a regular
camera, if you twist your wrist to the breaking point and click the shutter.
You won’t get a smiling face; you’ll get one with a grimace. From the sprained
wrist holding the camera. A little cockeyed and off center too.
I’ve tried to figure this one out. This instant dislike I
have for the word, selfie. At first I just chalked it up to the fact that I’m
an old coot and reject pop culture fads. Then I thought it was because I don’t
like shortcuts in the language. What’s wrong with saying, “I took a picture of
my self?” But, I know I’m a dinosaur. I still use capital letters when I send a
text message, words instead of “LOL” and other hip short cuts. It’s more than
that. Maybe it’s because selfie sounds so much like selfish. Which is sort of
what a selfie is, a “look at me” thing.
I talked to my therapist about this old coot bias of mine
(Matt, down at the front table in the GoatBoy CoffeeBar). He’s 25 years younger than me and can
usually help me find a way to accept change. The trouble is, he’s brutally
frank. He told me to get over it (like he often does). “You’re the master of
selfie yourself,” he scolded. “What is your Old Coot column but a “writing”
selfie? Instead of, “Look at me,” you’re guilty of something just as bad;
you’re a “listen to me” guy. That’s the last time I’m going to him for advice.
I sulked all they way home. Mulling over my therapy session.
Then, I sent a note off to the Oxford Dictionary people, to submit a word for
consideration in 2014. Hark, as in “Quiet. I’ve got something to say!” I called
to make sure they got it. Their operator connected me to the editor in charge
of the word of the year selections. He came on the line and said, “Sup?” My
“Hark” suggestion doesn’t stand a chance next to “Sup,” unless more people
start using it. Can you help me out?
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