I am outraged by this post

Here's this PSA you might have seen on your TV machine:



Hm. Yes, distracted driving is certainly not cool, but "outraged," Oprah? Really?

We've gotten to this point where outrage has been so diluted that it doesn't really mean "outrage" any more. I was outraged about the Iraq War; I'm not outraged about those people who try to get you to sign petitions on the sidewalk or the fact that there's not a Popeye's Chicken N Biscuits within walking distance.

But British Moms are outraged by "Career women make bad mothers" billboards.

Republicans are outraged about the jobs bill.

Local legislators are outraged at the state senate vote.

And so on. Look, outrage is a perfectly proper response to some situations. But it's so watered-down now that when you really need it, it doesn't mean anything. I mean, how can you use the same word to apply to Central American death squads when you just used it to describe how you feel about John Mayer's thoughts on his racist genitalia?