#1097 Wussies

I listen to a lot of radio. I like music, and a good radio station broadcasts better sound quality than the thin and tinny, tiny iPods. I also actually like listening to the ads, as I admire a nice turn of phrase or a clever quip.
And when you think about it, 30-second ads can be mini-psychological masterpieces, doing their best in an extremely short amount of time to hook your interest and motivate you to act. In today’s multi-tasking and distracting society, that’s no mean feat.
And we all know mean feet lead to angry toes.
That last part was to see if you were paying attention.
But what I really get out of listening to ads is an awareness of how our culture is going. The other day I heard an ad for Exergen’s new temporal thermometer. It was one of those dramatized dialogue ads, which frankly I hate.
The imaginary child was complaining to her mother, “I don’t want to get my temperature taken. I hate it.” The mom was soothing her and the child kept whining. “I don’t want it in my ear.”
Then the patient doctor voice came on and assured the child he was only going to pass his magic wand across her forehead and simple as that it was done. “See,” he says, “no more ears.”
The child squealed with delight. (I always love ads that include both a whine and a squeal) The kid then said she, “...couldn’t wait to go to school and take everyone’s temperature.”
The ad went on to say one of the places you could buy the new thermometer was at Toys ‘R Us. Because you know, it’s important to encourage kids to play doctor.
But here’s what gets me. Are we turning into a nation of wussies? I’ve heard of whine country but this is ridiculous. My generation had glass tubes—with mercury in them— stuck uncomfortably under our tongues IN OUR MOUTH!
Or possibly, if we were too weak with fever to hold it in our mouth, they jabbed one up our backside.
And this kid is whining about her ears?
Me too, when I heard the ad.
America, ya gotta love it.