Y. O. 
L. O.
L. O.
Most of today's generation of youthful Americans know about, have used, and heard some crazy stories about YOLO experiences. Y.O.L.O. is an acronym made noticeable by the musical artist Drake which stands for You Only Live Once. While the vertically challenged are taking the current hype as a way of life, the more seasoned human beings are challenging it as an excuse for stupidity. TV personality Jimmy Kimmel asks people on the streets about this new trend.
Those who are pro-YOLO will argue that actions
connected to the word are harmless and are meant to be fun and entertaining. Some of which is true depending on the actions. Unless you're Jesus, odds are you've broken a rule or two, in which case you can attach #YOLO! to the end of it and it's just something to laugh at. Even people in the Era of Good Feelings (way before your grandma was born) had their own thoughts about YOLO, but they'd recognize the phrase better as Carpe Diem. Most of us know the Latin translation as "Seize the Day". This phrase was first widely used by Latin poet Horace. Let us share the rest of the phrase so we can better try and understand what was meant by the first: "...quam minimum credula postero.", which roughly translates to, "...trusting as little as possible in the next day [/future]." If today was my last day on Earth I'd be going nuts with the YOLO too. Yet, in all reality can we all be in the mindset where it's okay to do whatever you want, wherever you want, to whoever you want because you only live once? I think the judicial system and Buddha would strongly disagree.
If you type YOLO into google search images thousands of pictures will show off peoples fascination with the acronym. Those who are opposed against the new youthful mindset can legitimately argue the dangers of complete disregard to risky behaviors. A college student from the University of Iowa made headlines when she was arrested after staggering on the field and blew a .341! After released from jail she shared her YOLO moment on Twitter which attracted the polar attention that I'm guessing her mother would've wished upon her. Public website brad21.org suggests a BAC (blood alcohol content) of her level was close to administering a coma. Well that doesn't sound very fun. Even more tragic is a story about aspiring rapper, Ervin McKinness, who was involved in a fatal car crash along with four other passengers. Even though McKinness was not allegedly the reported driver, his tweets about this YOLO experience sort of leads to the stomach-churning, but predictable outcome, "Drunk af going 120 drifting corners #F***It YOLO". It seems that opposing forces have a strong argument against this highly divergent acronym.
What do you think? Is YOLO a harmful or harmless word; Words are just that. Words. Right? They can be without movement, but it is words that inspire us to morph what we are trying to communicate into tangible things that can be physically experienced in life. Martin Luther King Jr., Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, religious leaders, presidents, dictators, anyone in an influential position has at one time or another used words to try and influence the way that people act. So maybe the actual YOLO word is not the problem, but the context it is continuously being put in?
Hopefully the acronym just dies off because I can feel the blood running out of my ears after researching this topic for the past few hours, but just in case it doesn't, why don't the people in this world who consider themselves leaders attach more positive insane acts to the word? Motocross rider and Off-Road Truck hunk, Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg, can tweet 'Just flew over 6 monster trucks while doing a back flip on the bike #YOLO'. MMA light heavyweight division champ, Thaigo Silva, could boast 'This no smoking is killing me, but a career that literally kicks a** rocks! #YOLO'. I'm not very creative in the YOLO department but I think you have the intelligence to get the gist.
Find the correct Words to Inspire the Right Context to Influence Positive Actions. #WIRCIPA!
I believe if we are going to use words as a movement we should do it in a positive way. Yolo is a movement in which it's all about having a crazy partying life, doing crazy stuff that's going to end up in regrets. Celebrities have money to do all these kinds of actions and sayings because they have money to do so, along with enough money to get them out of trouble if some bad goes wrong. This word trend makes most broke people go more broke getting caught in the act because "you can only live once". I'm not saying only rich folks should live by this "rule" but if you have no money save it for something more important and useful towards like your life like bills. Most people spent their last bills on drinks because rappers influence these young people to do so. Another example is the word "slizzard". A famous rap group called 3 6 mafia created this word meaning to get drunk back in the early 90's. A rap group that started a few years ago went and turned that into a bigger and more known word around our community. Myself I do go out and have fun but I don't use trends such as yolo or getting slizzard. It's these word movements that's misleading and make people more ignorant. When I say ignorant I mean they would get a hangover, get drunk and do something stupid then use yolo as an excuse. Next time you're in jail, say yolo to the cops and see the outcome because repeatedly going jail and getting drunk is not yolo.
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