Life in the Box: Look, They Said
Look, it’s like this, the word “look” is trending in American interview vocabulary this year. If I had a nickel for each time I’ve heard that word at the beginning of a statement this week, I’d have at least enough to buy my next fancy coffee drink.
Look, that is really an effective way to start a sentence because it sounds like the speaker is about to point you in the right direction; they’re simply going to tell you the real story.
Looked at the right way, it’s also a great word for misdirection. How many times does the President’s press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, use the word? It almost feels like she stomps her foot at the same time as she says it.
“Look, the President has been very clear about stating his views on this issue,” was a recent quote from her lips to God’s ears.
Maybe it’s she who started this trend. I can’t blame her, she has the unfortunate job of trying to make chaos seem tame. Like a magician who’s covering sly moves with puffs of smoke, she has to pull a bunny out of a hat filled with skunks every single day.
Maybe she’s doing such a good job of directing attention that others have noticed and picked up the habit. Look, I never said it was a bad thing. It actually seems to work.
In the fight for attention, “look” seems to work better than “listen” as an opening word. Fewer syllables. And “listen” isn’t as safe, as the President’s many jumbled statements and contradictory promises are all recorded. Without the sound, they all “look” alike.
There’s another trend I’m noticing, though, that might not serve the Press Secretary’s aims. President Trump says many things, promises many things, and yet there is a trend to “look” at what he actually does and not so much as what he, or Sarah, says.
With this President, it’s important to know that what you see is more credible that what he says. ‘Cause he literally will say anything. Look at what he does.
And it’s also important to look behind the magician’s curtain, at what is credibly reported (by dozens of credible journalists and Mueller’s indictments.)
Behind the tweets, smoke and mirrors you’ll see so much corruption, piled upon greedy desperate deeds, piled upon deals with the world’s devils–that you’ll hardly believe your eyes!
Nancy Heather Brown is a retired, Emmy Award-winning television producer whose career has included interviewing, writing, narrating and editing for a span of four decades. Today, she enjoys learning new things and reflecting upon the creative process and life issues, both inside and outside the box. Her opinions are her own, and are not necessarily those of this web site.
Trump Legal Woes Note:
In general, the accusations against Trump paint a picture of corruption, colored with nepotism and obstruction. (As of March 2018.)
Recent accusations: money laundering, basing policy decisions on personal financial dealings (Qatar), not acting on Russian interference, not enacting Russian sanctions (implying possible responses to Russian blackmailing) and many actions and declarations trying to stop the justice system from holding him responsible for the above (obstructing justice.)
Older cases: sexual harassment (more than a dozen accusers), not paying back loans, not paying contractors and workers, tax evasion, fraud with Trump University, and business links to organized crime.
Wikipedia list of legal affairs of Donald Trump
Trump, Russia, Money Laundering Articles:
Newsweek
NPR
The Atlantic
Time Magazine
Obstruction of Justice concerns about Trump
A list of women accusing Trump of sexual misconduct
Trump corruption overview Vox article
Sarah Huckabee Sanders clarifies: Trump said lots of stuff this week he may not mean
Look is also a French manufacturer of ski and bike specialty equipment
Look Magazine online digital archive (mostly thumbnails and descriptions)
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