Just because there was no social media in Rome doesn’t mean that it was a simpler life. Read any book on Pax Romana and you read of class warfare, slavery and oppression. Ha! Don’t even get me started on Medieval Times and sadly, from the 1700’s on we have more information on just how gawd-awful life could be.
Human rights are a new thing in the history of the world. There is no such thing as the good old days. For some life was a horror. For others life was drub. For some it was great, but keeping it great was a huge chore.
It’s always interesting how we come to cope with the mess of life, how when we interact, we show our concern and care. It’s not just words that are interesting, it’s how people put them together and how we use the words. I’ve written about the British series LEWIS- the spinoff or sequel to MORSE and the term, What Joy? Or No Joy? Which was an interesting way to say, ‘did you find anything good?’ Or, ‘no, there is nothing to report.’ A very succinct way.
Recently I’ve heard the term Stay Frosty, mostly used as a good bye, instead of ‘see ya’, or ‘take care’. [which are throw-away pro-forma statements.] Stay Frosty has a more thoughtful appeal and please note: I hate cold. I mean I have a deep, down, long-abiding, dreaded and wrenching loathing of cold. I rarely put ice in my drinks. I like tap water. I’ll take a neat whiskey over a cold beer any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
So. I looked it up.
Apparently it started in the military? Instead of Stay Cool, it was Stay Frosty. Keep your emotions in check. Don’t get all hot and bothered. But it is more than that. Cool is thought of as laid back, not involved. But Frosty has more of a stand-up, pay attention, keep alert quality.
So in our complicated life, where it feels like every single day we are bombarded. Where every single day there is a problem to solve and less ways to solve it. Where you know , because of all that has happened in the past decade, we can be less inclined to be charitable, or kind, or sympathetic because we are all bombarded with problems. Where there are those who are lashing out, taking their anger to the streets, and mitigating the structures of a civilization, then we need to be alert, be cool, keep our emotions in check and…
Stay Frosty!