Right?

I am not claiming that nobody has else noticed this phenomenon. A quick perfunctory Google search brought forth nothing.

I think I noticed it first a year or so ago. It was among fellow academics. And then, journalists and pundits, on CNN, and pretty much everywhere on television. A statement would be made, a pause, and then the question:  “right?” But, it was less of a question and more of a check-in. Typically, what follows the “right?” is a continuation of the original statement. What is the “right?” all about?

I have two theories:

1. As a society, we have deep insecurities. We are less certain of what we know and of who we are. This could very well be a collective acknowledgement of that. We want to be right but we are really not certain. Traditions are being thrown out the window. Institutions, families, etc.
2. The second more sinister explanation is that this “right?” is an enforcement of a certain narrative. I have interpreted many of these “right?”s as a subtle way to check if the other people on set or in the room are on the same page, if they have voted the same way.

I have noticed this a ton…it has become the defining word of our time, from my perch. I do not begrudge its use too much, since, after a while, I caught myself doing it from time to time as well.

So, my concern is not to draw attention to coerce people to not say it. Rather, I ask if this phenomenon means either of the two things I think it may, what does that say about our society?

1. If this reveals a broader insecurity, then we are in trouble. We expose ourselves more and more for the world to see on social media, but we are less and less sure of what who we are, what we stand for, and if what we are saying is true. In other words, President Trump may be the symptom of our problem, not the problem itself. [It is so easy to bash him; I wish I would feel as free to bash President Obama, but that’s another blog post.]
2. If this “right?” is about ideological conformity, it is just as troubling but less surprising. No, we do not all agree with the presuppositions of most academics and most journalists. We should have discussions and debates without having to appeal to the prevailing narrative about something.

Or, maybe, I’m just imaging so many people saying this…right?