The Ribbonacci Sequence

30 years ago, Rush began an episode of his award-winning television show by wearing a colorful array of ribbons to make a point that earned some chuckles. It looked absurd because it was and is.

In a world of Facebook profile frames that promote the viewpoints and objectives of “certain government services” and about me sections filled out with the latest acronyms and exclusive flags and terminology, we realize once again that Rush was right. 

30 years ago, Rush began an episode of his award-winning television show by wearing a colorful array of ribbons to make a point that earned some chuckles. It looked absurd because it was and is. To signal virtue by valuing symbolism over substance does not accomplish the causes that these ribbons represent. The substance, meaning and virtue symbolized by so much pretty fabric means nothing when the masses will don every one of them simply to showcase their good intentions. Never mind altruistic objectives when you can just print moral superiority on a t-shirt.

Name one person who became a guitarist without playing the guitar. Practice makes habit, and the habit of virtue signaling is trendy and divisive. Living out and exercising values and beliefs reveals pure variety of citizenry and provides grounds for substantive discourse. Living virtuously is what makes one virtuous. Merely signaling that ‘virtue lives here’ is deceptive and manipulative. Like the creepy candy van, it’s a sick joke.

The more pins on a jacket, the greater the wearer; they obviously care about a great many things. It makes sense that someone with less patches, buttons, and bumper stickers doesn’t care nearly enough. Their aversion to a bombardment of proselytism is indicative of apathy at best. At worst it’s a sign of hatred and of someone that takes pleasure in perpetuating the plight of others by not showing how much they care. 

It’s as easy as festooning a lapel with little ribbons, which Rush was kind enough to show us how to do. Two years later in 1995, an episode of Seinfeld aired that reiterated his point. It did a great job of depicting how society views those who refuse to buckle beneath the peer pressure of ribbon pushers as bananas, and worthy of being bullied – even if they walk the walk. 

Conversations that require critical thinking, and include the exchange of ideas and opinions have become taboo in today’s society. Conservation of virtue and – let’s face it – conservatism is in direct opposition to those that abandon their agency of thought and signal virtue by all means. In fact, if you enjoy speaking freely and contributing your viewpoints to discussions that take place on social media, you’ll likely be made to pay for your convictions. We live in a world where diversity of thought is controversial and will be taken personally.

In a world where 2 + 2 = 5, more ribbons equal more virtue. Somehow more virtue equals less thought and more division. Undue judgement and public ridicule are foisted upon those who do not look or sound like they care in the way that the liberal narrative insists that they should. Rush was right about this messed up logic. And today we bear witness to the grotesque unfurling of the Ribbonacci Sequence before us, the antithesis to the Golden Rule most of us learned in school.

Despite an effort fueled to some degree by pure intentions, the sociopolitical climate remains decidedly divided. All of the flags, all of the language and unique identifiers, all of the pronouns, all of the longed-for representation of minority groups within media and yet – accusations of bigotry, racism, homophobia, sexism, and white superiority abound. Intentions no longer matter in conversation, only in virtue signaling. Assumptions are made about a person’s make and model with little to no regard for what it actually is. This is what happens when people are more desperate to sound off moral superiority than to participate in making significant contributions toward the causes that they’re supposedly behind.

What would be like to have a symbol to represent the nation, to appreciate something that is inclusive of every citizen that it represents, and to have unity within diversity? Would it be like having a national flag?

The youngest generation of citizens in the United States of America share a moment of silence after the pledge of allegiance is recited over p.a. systems in public schools across the nation. The air is filled with contemplations, reflections, intentions and sighs. Regardless of which students recite the pledge or which ones don’t, due to exemptions, for at least one moment every school day, U.S. citizens stand with one another and breathe. This observation of national oneness waxes increasingly nostalgic. Moments where the objective is to truly coexist, can no longer be taken for granted.

---