better than the blow of a stick

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In times of hyperbole, when times are tough and everyone's longing to be heard, a little modesty wouldn't hurt.

My father used to be fond of the phrase, "better than the blow of a stick." He was also, in a time before TV and the internet, impressed with the radio advertisement for Dodge: "Dodge -- it's a pretty good car."

In times of hyperbole and uncertainty, "pretty good" gets overwhelmed by an imagined excellence or perfection. It's as if, by reaching for the perfection of any thing or action, somehow that perfection will be in hand... push, push, pushing the boundaries until somehow the dream will come true.

On TV, the clothing becomes more and more provocative and the language with it. But if all the women with plunging necklines simply ran around naked, would things be less uncertain? If the encroaching use of cuss words simply had no boundaries -- if all TV language were simply language that incorporated cuss words -- would things become more honest and relaxing? If all the "heroes" were simply people who did things I haven't done ... what then?

I guess everyone has to get real about his or her expectations and longings. It's personal and it isn't easy, but it's probably closer to the truth ... a little modesty wouldn't hurt. Aside from anything else, it would give immodesty a much-needed face-lift.

It might be better than the blow of a stick.
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