The Age of Yap and Cringe

A cringey article that many will label as simply yapping. 

It’s no longer acceptable to not like something in one’s own mind. It’s now SOP to validate that thought with a public comment proclaiming personal disgust, disinterest or disapproval. Not only that, but on top of the content not meeting someone’s satisfaction, the content is also inadmissible for others; is incorrect; should be deleted; is to be laughed at; is to be scorned; is to be belittled into nothingness and returned back to where it came from so that the content may never see the light of day and disgust another human being ever again. That is where social media has brought us. To a mindset where walking past is not an option. Walking past something is weak. Now, we must tear it down. We are rewarded when we destroy and obliterate that which displeases us. Most times without a second thought that it may just not be our cup of tea. (It takes a lot less energy to walk on by than to demolish something.)

Anyone who posts anything a half-degree off of the mainstream collectively approved content faces this kind of vicious scrutiny and frankly, verbal abuse. As an artist that fits in no box, I have experienced this to a point that it has forced me to turn off comments from strangers – an action that may very well subvert the possibility of any of my content “going viral,” something that most creators want and believe they need in today’s world. Still, with that being the reality, the direct and scalding belittling of my person and my soul-infused art led me to make that choice.

The King of Cringey Music: Creed

This post was sparked by a comment I received on a Creed fan page I run. The comment read “The way Creed has transcended their own cringe.” (This person must think they are the intellectual prize pony of the day for combining all of their knowledge of post-meme Creed and internet speak into a bite-sized, backhanded compliment. Sheesh.) My question is, how is a band like Creed – whose positively-intentioned music that has moved millions of people over decades – how does a band or artist with art like that receive the collectively agreed upon label of cringe? In what world is positive music something to be avoided and made fun of?

Since I discovered Creed in 2000 when Higher topped the charts, their music has held top billing in my personal library. I consider myself a barometer for music that is good for the soul, and Creed measures up through and through. So how does a band that’s so good for humanity become the poster-child for cringey music? And what did they do to reverse that and “transcend their own cringe?” Nothing, because they never actually were cringe and never will be. We just didn’t know how to process and explain the feelings Creed music brings up, so it gets slapped with the cringe label and that’s that! Phew, don’t have to feel that anymore! Now we can just laugh at it. Ah yes, that’s better.

Yap & Cringe

Two words that I find to currently be of most use in dismissing and diminishing content are “yap” and “cringe.” Two single-syllable words have replaced the whole of critical review and analysis. Gone are the days of proposing your case, citing examples, and drawing your conclusion through a few complete sentences. Now you can feel empowered and entitled to dismantle anything you want with the simple typing of three or five letters from the safety of behind your screen.

Don’t understand or agree with what someone is saying? Just drop a “yapping” in the comments. Your journalistic opining duties have been fulfilled! You deserve a treat. Grab yourself another energy drink so you can do it for another hour.

Did an artist sing a word that you didn’t understand or move in a way that is awkward to you? Did they make you feel those deep and icky feelings? No problem! Drop the word “cringe” in the comments so that artist will know that you disapprove and will either take that video down and/or never do that thing again. You told them! You’re the pinnacle of artistic review.

The Bigger Picture

But what is the bigger picture here? What is this a symptom or cause of? This ties into my opinion on comments in general, which is that we as a people, as individual human beings, are not being heard. We are not heard by our family, our friends, our co-workers. We are not heard by our community leaders, spiritual leaders or political world leaders. Human beings do need a base level of validation, and it seems like we just aren’t getting that anymore.

So, what do we do? We seek validation elsewhere. How? By tearing others down. (Bullying.) By flippantly, baselessly and reactively assigning micro-snippets of someone’s life or work as “cringe” and “yap” so that we can feel seen and heard in a world of noise and neglect. Doing this gives us the relief of knowing we’re not being cringey or yapping, they are. And as long as they we are not cringe, we’re cool/accepted/valid. And anything that is cringe or yap is uncool, unaccepted and invalid. This frail sense of self-esteem works for the moment, but because it is baseless, it is fleeting. And just like a drug, it must be applied over and over again. Unless something fills the hole of validation and being heard, the drive to self-validate will not cease.

Forming Complete Thoughts

The other aspect here is that we’ve lost the desire and/or ability to form complete sentences and use intellectual words and phrases to make a point. Technology has made us so lazy and uneducated that we roll up complex feelings and thoughts that deserve extended expression into single, hard-to-rebuke words that taunt and wound the receiver of such words. We bask in our banality. We’re lounging in the laziness of our words. How quick and cutting can we be? How creatively and concisely mean can we be? That’s a measure of talent these days. That’s a measure of intellect in the social media world.

Is that a world that we want to perpetuate?

– Chad