GEICO has an advertising campaign that portrays individuals coming
to the realization that “15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance.” The wholly owned subsidiary of Warren Buffet’s
Berkshire Hathaway is recognized in our popular culture by its green gecko spokesperson. The current campaign leverages this product
identity by having individuals respond to its 15% statement with the remark, “Everybody
knows that.”
“Everybody knows that”
is a cultural expression. It indicates
an accepted understanding. It shows what
is held to be a common belief by people within a particular culture.
Let me take that idea a bit farther.
Peggy Noonan has a July 31, 2014 article in The Wall Street Journal on the subject
of political divisiveness. It is titled,
“Out of
Many, Two?” and is (unfortunately) behind the WSJ Paywall. Here is an excerpt:
The president shouldn't be using a fateful and divisive word like "impeachment" to raise money and rouse his base. He shouldn't be at campaign-type rallies where he speaks only to the base; he should be speaking to the country. He shouldn't be out there dropping his g's, slouching around a podium, complaining about his ill treatment, describing his opponents with disdain: "Stop just hatin' all the time."
Peggy Noonan uses her “Parent-to-Child”
voice, telling us what politicians should and shouldn’t do in our culture. She avoids pointing out that our culture permits our president to preach to us about
hate. President Obama teaches us that
Republicans are haters, and is comfortable in his position because…Everybody
Knows That.
Here is an example of a political
advertisement being run by Mark Udall in Colorado. The ad attacks Republican Cory Gardner as
being a threat to women:
Senator Udall is able to do this because Republicans are
waging a War on Women. Everybody Knows That.
Here is a scene from the HBO series “True Blood.” In it, an
actress characterizes female Republicans using the slur “Republic*nt:”
HBO is able to do this because Republicans are bad people, and female Republicans are an aberration. Everybody Knows That.
Pundits could take note of this cultural tendency in the
USA, but few will. Our media tend to
shrug it off until it becomes a matter of life and death.
In the Middle East, there is some media attention being paid
to Anti-Semitism as Hamas showcases damage done by Israeli forces to hospitals,
schools and mosques. The message is that
Israel wants to kill women and children.
In much of our world community, Everybody Knows That.
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