Outrage, Irony and the Language of Irreverence
The coffee shop had recently installed a large television above the counter.
Even with the sound muted, the captions screamed:
NATION ERUPTS!
BIGGEST DEBATE!
EXCLUSIVE!
Eight tiny windows. Nine people speaking. Nobody listening.
I couldn’t help smiling.
“What amuses you?”
I looked up.
Bade Saab stood beside my table, as though he had quietly emerged from the aroma of freshly ground coffee.
“I can’t decide,” I said, pointing towards the television, “whether that’s journalism or competitive shouting.”
He watched the screen for a few seconds.
“At least in a school classroom, the teacher eventually restored order.”
He slipped into the chair opposite me.
The waiter appeared.
“One Americano,” I said.
“And an adrak tea,” said Bade Saab.
The outrage over the language used by Gen Z during recent protests had been on my mind. Knowing Bade Saab’s vintage, and remembering how he had confounded my assumptions during our last conversation, I decided to draw him out.
“These youngsters do seem rather colourful in their language,” I ventured.
Instead of agreeing, he smiled.
“My dear fellow, every generation borrows a language…”
“…and adds a few words of its own.”
He nodded towards the television.
“Our films first taught us to applaud the cutting put-down.”
“Our politics discovered its electoral value.”
“Television turned it into prime-time entertainment.”
“Social media handed everyone a microphone.”
“And now we’re astonished that the children are fluent.”
“So television raised Gen Z?”
“It certainly babysat them.”
I laughed.
“But they seem to have escaped with one useful habit.”
“What?”
“They grew up with stand-up.”
“They watched comedians who poked fun at politicians, celebrities, billionaires—and, most importantly, at themselves.”
“They learnt that irony is often healthier than indignation.”
He smiled.
“Many of their parents waited all week for television comedy.”
“Gen Z carries an entire comedy club in its pocket.”
“I trust people who can laugh at themselves.”
“It’s those who’ve forgotten how to laugh who make me nervous.”
“But some students certainly cross the line.”
“They do.”
“Abuse remains abuse.”
“Violence remains violence.”
“Understanding where behaviour comes from is not the same as excusing it.”
For a while, we sat in silence.
The television continued announcing catastrophe.
Nobody in the café seemed remotely interested.
He finished his tea.
“We keep asking what’s wrong with Gen Z.”
“I prefer another question.”
“What?”
“Who convinced an entire society that public conversation should resemble a cage fight?”
He stood up.
“I have faith in the young.”
“You do?”
“They’re still experimenting.”
“They’ll outgrow some excesses.”
“What worries me more are adults who’ve mistaken permanent indignation for wisdom.”
We walked towards the door.
The television had just discovered yet another threat to the nation.
At the next table, a group of students burst into laughter over a meme.
Bade Saab watched them for a moment.
“Good.”
“Why?”
“Because a society that can still laugh at itself has not completely surrendered to certainty.”
He smiled.
“The real danger isn’t that the young sometimes speak in a language that is disrespectful.”
“It’s when the old become incapable of hearing a joke.”
Outside, the city carried on as usual.
Behind us, the television continued performing.
Ahead of us, the students continued laughing.
Author’s Note: This is an imagined conversation written as political and social satire. “Bade Saab” is a fictional character, and the dialogue should not be construed as an actual conversation with, or statements made by, any real person. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental.
Editorial Disclaimer: This article appears in TheNews21 Opinion section. The views, opinions, interpretations and conclusions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of TheNews21 or Kalpak Digital Media LLP. The article has been edited for clarity, language and style, and factual references have been reviewed to the extent reasonably possible at the time of publication. Responsibility for the opinions and analysis expressed rests entirely with the author.
