No, It Most Certainly is Not All Good

I am beginning to notice an alarming trend in the vernacular.   A phrase once the province of teenage slackers is now being heard among the baby boomer set.  When spoken, it subtly pigeonholes the addressee into student footing while elevating the addressor to mentor status.  I am not usually interested in a lecture on what I am and am not supposed to be burdened by when I accidentally bump my shopping cart into the person in front of me.  Nor does being lectured about what my priorities should be when the contents of my gym locker spill out and my sweaty sneakers hit my neighbor's head.  Since when did the simple apology "excuse me" need to be answered with a short dissertation on how fair-minded the offended party is?  Indeed, just three words uttered in exculpation, "it's all good", is an indictment of an entire life devoted to the idea that "if we only strive for good enough, nothing will ever be good enough".

Of course every generation and culture has its own version of this tedious expression but this incarnation seems particularly vapid to me.  In Australia, if you accidentally happen to shoot your hunting buddy in the leg, you will be forgiven with a hearty "no worries mate".  This is analogous to our expression "don't worry about it" or don't sweat it".  Two expressions that specifically address the incident at hand, not the idea that no matter what, you are doing good.  The same is true of "no problem" or a simple "that's okay".  They excuse the immediate behavior as opposed to all behaviors past, present, and future. 

I used to attribute the retort "its all good" as an annoying verbal expression of the self-esteem generation.  But I can now recall at least five episodes in which a baby boomer, who should know better than to think it's all good, used the phrase to demonstrate that even though I might have accidentally butted in line I should take the long view that, like them, whatever I do is okay.  Perhaps it's just me, but I usually just get annoyed, not philosophical, when someone who obviously arrived at the deli counter after me, claims, "I am" when the clerk asks "who's next?".  And if they do realize their faux pas and apologize, I am inclined to respond with a non-judgmental "that's all right, just don't let it happen again asshole".