RE: virus: Be a Darwin in your own backyard!

Gifford, Nathan F (giffon@SDCPOS3B.DAYTONOH.ncr.com)
Wed, 12 Aug 1998 09:10:07 -0400


I believe the origin of the phrase "Get A Life" was from a Saturday Night
Live skit starring William Shatner. In the skit Shatner was speaking in
front of Star Trek fans who kept asking minutely detailed questions about
the show. Shatner finally urged them to "get a life". What made the remark
so funny was the idea that he was venting his frustrations at being
type-cast as Kirk to the thousands of Trekkies who were watching BECAUSE he
was the guest host. Immediately all the New York wannabes who were watching
SNL picked up the phrase to use whenever they didn't understand someone
else's fascination with a subject.

I've always thought that people who use the phrase "Get a Life" need to "Get
a Brain". I'm not trying to pick a fight with Brett or Andreas here. I'm
posting because the phrase has become IMHO way too prevalent. I think I was
sensitive to it in the following context because when reading Virus posts I
have the gain on my analysis filter turned WAY up. I'm urging the other
members of the group to listen to the context of the phrase "get a life" in
conversations. If they find it used mostly by blockheads spreading their
square hole philosophies, then I would urge them to join me in trying to
extinguish the "Get a Life" meme from our daily discourse.

Andreas wrote:
----------
andanaaaa
Brett wrote:

>Sounds like whoever wrote the letter ALSO needs a
>life
....

The wagering staff, being fictional, desperately needs a life
(or several). If they did exist, I don't think that having a
sense of humor qualifies them for being in need of a life..
....
Self-irony is the key.
If you can't laugh at yourself, _you_ are the one who needs
a life.