If you follow America’s National Football League, you’ve probably noticed the players wearing hot pink accessories as the NFL participates in October’s campaign for breast cancer. Just to be clear, this is a campaign ‘against’ breast cancer, not ‘for’ breast cancer. And more specifically, it’s a campaign to raise ‘awareness’ of breast cancer for any people who haven’t yet heard of breasts or cancer.
With all this focus on the issue of breast cancer, I hope the public won’t be distracted from the larger issue of breasts. We all support a breast cancer awareness campaign, but what about a breast awareness campaign? Might there be some people out there who haven’t heard about breasts and could benefit from a month dedicated to breast awareness?
This brings me to consider the social question of awareness. Every week and month of the year seems to be dedicated to AIDS awareness, cancer awareness, awareness for gay rights, environmental causes, political causes, animal rights, international conflicts, don’t-take-a-second-slice-of-pizza-until-everyone’s-had-a-first-slice awareness, etc. But with all these campaigns dedicated to raising awareness of individual causes, nobody has explored the idea of raising awareness of awareness–of the concept of awareness in general.
Every day the world witnesses millions of instances of children not answering when their name is called. I blame a lack of awareness. Dad calls from the other room. No answer. Dad enters the room and calls again. No answer. Dad crosses the room, stands directly in front of the child and calls again, certain he’s making eye contact. Still no answer. He leaves the room goes upstairs, locks himself in the bathroom, tears open a package of M&Ms and seconds later hears a knock at the door, followed by the child’s voice, “Whatcha eatin’ in there?”
How we can expect the next generation to grow up aware of important issues when they’re not even aware of their own names? What can we do as a society to raise awareness?
We’re beset with a deluge of stimuli competing for our attention: cell phones, video games, adorable YouTube clips of kittens, email, Skype, that awesome Oppen Gangnam Style guy, and I worry we’re on a path to noticing none of them, to only experience the sensory world as one blur of white noise. Let’s dedicate a month to paying attention, concentrating, and eliminating a bit of the clutter, unless you count paying attention to me in the same category as clutter. If that’s the case, let’s just move the clutter around a bit.
How about January 2013 as the first Awareness Awareness month? That gives us a few months to prepare and overdose on all our distractions through the end of the year. Note: I apologize if anyone has already proposed Awareness Awareness month. If I missed it, I promise to pay better attention in the future.
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It seems a bit hypocritical, but if you haven’t been distracted by the Oppen Gangnam Style video yet…
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Click here to vote in the caption contest. The winner will be announced on Monday 7:00AM EST.
The Good Greatsby 
Vanessa Chapman
October 12, 2012
This is a great idea…I’m just wondering what type of clothing or accessory should be worn to show that we are supporting awareness of awareness? Should it be something very bold that people can’t help but take notice and be aware of? Or something very subtle so that people have to be very aware in order to notice it; you know like being completely naked or something? This could actually be combined with the breast awareness. It’s something to think about anyway.
The Good Greatsby
October 12, 2012
I’m not sure either. I’ve already moved on and forgotten what we were talking about.
motherhoodisanart
October 12, 2012
Let me call my people and get this put into action!
dianasschwenk
October 12, 2012
Thanks for my Friday chuckle!
Bill Hayes
October 12, 2012
It can’t be January, didn’t you know it’s “stuff a cushion with belly button fluff” month?
The Good Greatsby
October 12, 2012
I’m not sure I see the social importance of that issue.
Snoring Dog Studio
October 12, 2012
What did you say? I’m sorry, I couldn’t concentrate on the post. I’m completely mesmerized by that video.
Life With The Top Down
October 12, 2012
This is so long overdue! I would suggest we mix the colors of all the other awarenesses together to represent this cause.
I’ll admit I’m guilty of selective awareness or as I like to call it “awareness without careness.” This occurs when I hear,mom,mom,mom,mom,mom,mom,mom, yet there are no signs of blood, screams or muffled nosies coming from the other room and I make the executive decision to continue on with what I’m doing.
Michael
October 12, 2012
Of course, people are going to need to be made aware of Awareness Awareness Month, since this is such a new idea. I propose December 2012 as Awareness Awareness Awareness Month, so everyone will be made aware about making aware of awareness.
The Good Greatsby
October 13, 2012
Good thinking. I completely overlooked the necessity of making people aware of needing to be aware.
thegreenstudy
October 12, 2012
I almost forgot to comment. I got distracted by the video. It explains a lot about lack of awareness when you spend 5 minutes watching a bouncy Korean frolicking with stick women and the only words you can understand are “sexy lady”. I watched it and awareness is now making my self-loathing kick into full gear. Thank you, awareness.
The Good Greatsby
October 13, 2012
I couldn’t make sense of the lyrics either. It’s almost like he was singing in a foreign language.
WSW
October 12, 2012
I believe October is already Gangnam Style Awareness month. Just a matter of days before you see people ponying down the street.
The Good Greatsby
October 13, 2012
My son and I did the horse dance inside yesterday but we still don’t feel ready to take it to the streets.
Carl D'Agostino
October 12, 2012
All this stuff of which to be aware is wearing me out.
bigsheepcommunications
October 12, 2012
What color ribbon do we need to wear? Are there any colors left?
pegoleg
October 12, 2012
Chartreuse with a touch of magenta around the edges is the only color combo left.
bigsheepcommunications
October 12, 2012
Crap – what am I supposed to wear with that?
The Good Greatsby
October 13, 2012
I think all the colors have been taken. How about just wrapping ourselves in one giant multicolored ribbon?
Elyse
October 13, 2012
How about if we go wild and pin the ribbon on, are you ready for this, upside down. Radical, I know.
bigsheepcommunications
October 13, 2012
Sure, why not?
pegoleg
October 16, 2012
No, if it’s upside down all the hope runs out, Elyse.
jomaidment
October 12, 2012
Made me smile and now semi-traumitised by Gangnam style, which I have to agree with Lottie Sandstorm it is Whoop not oop
Christina
October 12, 2012
Grrr. How about Earworm Awareness? I didn’t even click on the video and I’m going to be hearing Gagnam Style all day. Thanks Greatsby! Might as well watch now…
She's a Maineiac
October 12, 2012
Whoa. I wish I could be more unaware of my awareness of that video. Are we positive he isn’t really saying, ‘open condom style’? Makes me long for the innocent days of the Macarena.
Rich Crete
October 13, 2012
That’s what I hear too.
The Good Greatsby
October 13, 2012
Was the Macarena really so innocent? Do we even know what Macarena means?
She's a Maineiac
October 13, 2012
I’m at the age where I don’t know what anything really means anymore.
Jackie Cangro
October 12, 2012
Last Sunday I was watching a game and noticed the players wearing pink, but I was not aware. Now I feel guilty for not being more aware. We should start an awareness awareness self help group. We could call it AA. Wait…
pegoleg
October 12, 2012
The important thing is that Kim Jung-un’s willingness to reach out to the west by making this video heralds a bright new day in our countries’ relations. When music videos cross borders, armies don’t.
The Good Greatsby
October 13, 2012
I’m anxious to see the music video Obama will make in response.
Lenore Diane
October 12, 2012
The video, Paul. What is that video? It cracked me up. The best part is the fact that he is wearing a life jacket on the boat. For whatever reason, that had me in tears. Does everyone wear life jackets in videos on boats? Perhaps more awareness needs to be made on life jackets. A neon green/yellow inflatable ribbon would be perfect for this new awareness campaign.
Because of you, I am aware. Thank you.
The Good Greatsby
October 13, 2012
I insist my kids wear life jackets everywhere, even in bed. Safety trumps fashion.
kathrinjapan
October 28, 2012
My favorite part is the elevator opening and shutting. I don’t know why it’s so funny!
lazylauramaisey
October 12, 2012
After Awareness Awareness Month, we can all remember how aware we were and people will talk about how aware they were about our awareness and we can all be aware together. It will be great.
susielindau
October 12, 2012
Your title cracked me up and I never stopped laughing. That video is hysterical! I think I have become very aware of how I need to take my dancing to a new level!
The Good Greatsby
October 13, 2012
I’m considering being the Oppen Gangnam Style guy for Halloween. I’ve just got to work on the horse dance.
susielindau
October 13, 2012
I bet you can rock that dance! You may have to put on a few pounds….
philosophermouseofthehedge
October 12, 2012
Awareness overload.
Laura
October 12, 2012
I’ll be happy to participate in Awareness Awareness Month, if I can figure out when January is. I wish there were a Month Awareness Month.
The Good Greatsby
October 13, 2012
We’ll do Month Awareness Month in February. I’ll try and figure out a way to let you know when that is.
aparnauteur
October 12, 2012
You make an excellent point. I was at this Breast cancer fund-raising run the other day, and ended up hurting my eyes with the overload of neon pink. The fund-raising, I get. But, does the pink have to be so pink? Does it set off some reminder to get your long overdue mammogram done?
I think that the feeling of doing something together and for a good cause gives us such an ego boost that it makes us unaware of what we are actually supporting. I think we need to take January to sit down and realign our perception of the bottom line.
Jill Pinnella Corso
October 13, 2012
It’s never a bad time to be distracted by Gangnam Style.
thejessicaness
October 13, 2012
And just wait until you are aware of the good parodies of Psy’s song and how he didn’t think it would spread like this outside of his group of K-Pop fans – thanks to twitter.
Spectra
October 13, 2012
I think what you’re saying is – “Awareness is the new Black” (because when you smush all the other colors together, you’re sposed to get black). Blackening sporting events by turning out all of the lights would be another level used to help others achieve awareness of Awareness.
The Good Greatsby
October 13, 2012
I’d watch that sporting event on TV to show my support although it would be hard to tell if the event was actually on or if the channel had just lost reception.
Hippie Cahier
October 13, 2012
Will there be an official Awareness Awareness color? If so, I should probably start updating my wardrobe now.
swlikeablegirl
October 13, 2012
I can’t watch that video until my brain can come up with some pronunciation of the word gangnam that doesn’t make it sound like I’m talking with my mouth full of hay.
The Good Greatsby
October 13, 2012
How did you know what you sound like when your mouth is full of hay?
mistyslaws
October 13, 2012
I am not aware of this thing you call “breast.” I am aware that there is awareness of cancer and pink and all that, but the underlying items are unfamiliar to me. Could you describe and demonstrate how these items are used?
The Good Greatsby
October 13, 2012
My worst fears have been realized. This breast cancer awareness campaign has distracted the public from giving breasts the attention they deserve.
The Waiting
October 13, 2012
Awareness Awareness Month is something I am down with. On an unrelated note, my 6 month old baby is so aware of Gangnam Style that she gets mad when I turn it off. I was unaware we were watching it so much.
The Good Greatsby
October 13, 2012
I wish Gangnam Style had been around when my kids were babies. We could have left them alone without a babysitter at a much earlier age.
1pointperspective
October 13, 2012
Not to paint myself as some kind of front runner or trend setter, but I’ve been paying attention to breasts for quite a few decades. If I remember correctly, my breast awareness began in earnest, sometime in the 7th grade. As my report cards will show, my math, English and Social Studies awarenesses all plumetted during that same period.
Over the many years since, my awareness of breasts has become so much a part of who I am, that I’ve actually become unaware of my awareness of breasts!
As an example, while waiting for a table the other day in a crowded restaurant, a woman walked past my wife and me. A moment later, my wife said “Those couldn’t possibly have been real!” To which I replied, “Those what? What couldn’t be real? Huh?”
I rest my case.
cooper
October 14, 2012
i had a smart ass answer but i can’t stop laughing. kids need so much awareness these days…
kathrinjapan
October 28, 2012
I just returned from Seoul and now I’m on the Narita Express back home to Tokyo. I nearly fell out of my seat reading your blog especially about Psy (the artist behind Gangnam Style). After 3 Days in Gangnam City, I swear I think my son is now-legged now.
kathrinjapan
October 28, 2012
Auto correction “bow-legged”
HoaiPhai
October 31, 2012
Gangnam Style Awareness Month is the new Macarena Awareness Month.