I don't know how many people remember the anti-drug slogan, "Just Say No"; but I'd like to start a new one: "Just Say 'Oh'".

There is this thing that so many people have a tendency to do; and that's when someone makes a statement about himself or his own life, someone else automatically second-guesses, offers what he thinks is "a better idea" or some solution that the person hasn't already rejected or tried (only to discover what a useless or impossible "solution" it was).

I don't know about anyone else, but when I make a statement about me or my life here's what I want the other person to say:

Option 1: "Oh".

Option 2: "I'm happy for you."

Option 3: "I'm sorry to hear that".

Option 4: Can I help in some way?

Somehow, the world seems overloaded with people who think that one person's statement (not intended to be "up for negotiation" or "further elaboration" by the person who didn't make the statement) isn't really an "end-of-story" kind of statement but some kind of fluid and tentative set of words put out by the speaker or writer to be up for debate, correction, second-guessing, fixing up, or other input that would suggest that the statement-maker has made some "rough draft statement" that needs the input of someone else.

I'm not talking about opinions. I'm talking about making simple statements about oneself and/or one's own life. What makes one person ever think that his additional (and sometimes conflicting or "clarifying" or "wiser" - and most often misguided or clueless) input on what someone else says about himself or his own life is ever anything but a) useless and/or b) arrogant?

I'll tell you what makes someone think that (and we see it everywhere in out there in society, whether in the form of policy, trends, marketing or personal conversation); and what that is is either a) whoever is guilty of it has his own agenda, which generally means there's something (or kind of another) that guilty party has to gain; or b) that guilty party simply thinks he knows better than the person who has made a statement (not a guess) about himself or his own life.

I think there should be a "Just Say 'Oh'" symbol that may or may not come with a universally understood sound (like a buzzer or ring). Then, wherever we see or hear this kind of behavior individuals who see/hear it could do something like post the emoticon or sound the buzzer.

Eventually, may those of us who don't make statements about ourselves or our lives that are "rough drafts" or waiting for approval or correction may eventually train the rest of the world to "Just Say 'Oh'" when just saying "oh" is all that is reasonably called for.

By the way, what I've just said above is a statement. It's not up for clarification, debate, or elaboration. There's no need to comment here (unless, of course, you want to add "Oh" or "Got It").