This is the Statt Mann Baby!!  Time to Scatt a little bit.

Hyperbole is an obvious and intentional exaggeration or a figure of speech not intended to be taken literally.

As a culture we’ve hyperboled – or hyped – ourselves into obnoxiousness. 

The other day we spent the afternoon watching two guys eat hot dogs to the point of vomit only to hear sportscasters compare that contest with Magic and Bird or Nicklaus and Palmer.

They even ignored sport defining rivalries such as Petty and Pearson, The Snake and The Mongoose, or Gordon and Earnhardt.

I’ve used hyperbole to make a point.  But when hyperbole becomes the measuring stick or, even, the new reality, we need to stop and take a breath or chill a minute.

So many of us think history and context began when the doctor slapped our butts.  They refuse to assign relevance to anything that happened before they came on the scene.

And worse, anything we don’t understand is to be pitied or even abused.

But when hot dog vomit is equated with noble effort or athletic achievement, we need to reassess our belief systems. Hyperbole to make a point is one thing.  But hyperbole to define reality is quite something else.

It’s the latter that’s redefining our culture.  And that’s not hyperbole.  That’s actually happening.

Peace.