Not an actual icon. The word. Specifically, the word “iconic”.

I told Randy this evening that we are witnessing the death of a word and there isn’t a goddamn thing we can do about it.

I noticed this about a month ago.

I had some interactions with people younger than 75% of our kids where they used the word “iconic” in a way I didn’t fully understand.

I meet with a group of humorists (Comedians? Funny motherfuckers?) Anyway, I meet with a group of people once a month and we work on stand up material. Last month, I met a young woman, Ariel, and we had the following conversation:

Ariel: You should perform at the LGBQT clubs. We love iconic older women. 

Me: Okay. So, to be fair, I am only older. 

Ariel: See? That is hilarious!

Me: Okay. 

I was terribly confused. Because I’m not an icon and, therefore, am not iconic. But she was awesome and funny and I loved meeting her.

As it turns out, Ariel took the same improv class that I took, just on a different night. She ended up making up one of her classes, in my class, a few days after we met where she said I was an iconic older woman. During the class she told one of my classmates that she could tell he was an iconic man.

And I thought “Oh, I get it. I think it might mean something else now.”

Just this evening, Randy was texting with our granddaughter, Madelyn. Randy and the grands share music here and there. Randy sent Madelyn a link to a Bob Marley song and Madelyn responded “Bob is so iconic!”

To be clear, Bob Marley, is an icon. He is iconic. Saying he is “so iconic” just isn’t quite right. Right?

I’m guessing iconic sort of just means “cool” now? Because everything that is cool isn’t also iconic. At least it wasn’t a little while ago.

Me: That’s it. It is all over for the word “iconic”. It’s dying. Maybe dead. 

Randy: You think? 

Me: Absolutely. We’re old. We know your name has to be Marilyn or Elvis or Madonna to be iconic. Or maybe you are bell bottom jeans, because they’re definitely iconic. Anyway, we’re old and dying. They’re misusing the word and that misuse will become the new definition. 

Randy: That’s depressing. 

Me: Right? Pretty soon we will have no icons because everything will be iconic. Like the new flavor of Mt. Dew will be iconic. 

Randy: Or my jokes will be iconic. 

Me:…

Me:…

Me: Still no. 

Randy: How about the joke about the goat? 

Me: Nope. 

Randy: Oh well. 

Randy: What do you want to do this weekend? 

Me: Let’s watch all the Nick and Nora Charles movies. 

Me: They’re so iconic.

Randy: There you go! Assimilate. 

I mean, in the big scheme of things, it doesn’t matter. You know, with our democracy on the line and all.

Please check your voter registration. Deadlines are coming up fast.

We aren’t going to let him back in office, right? That would be so not iconic.