Actually,
the phrase is pub test. And it’s one I heard recently while on
vacation—err, excuse me, on holiday—in Australia.
At
its foundation, the expression is one we all have quite a bit
of familiarity with. It’s basically a variant of “look, I don’t
even need to ask, we all know what’s happening here” concept.
To
be fair, often it works. Often, it’s true. We can all think of
situations where something obvious was (or is) taking place. Usually,
it wasn’t (or isn’t) even being hidden. Like dinner at a friend’s
house, where the host has expressed having a significant crush
on one of the invited guests, and we all know who will be served
the biggest slice of cake for dessert.
Hide
it however you think you might be disguising it, wink wink, we
all know what’s going on.
Continuing
along those lines, welcome to the pub. In Australian parlance,
the concept is very simple. You’re at a pub. Surround by a great
group of folks. A casual, everyone speaking freely, fun afternoon.
When a subject comes up and virtually all of the occupants of
the pub can tell what’s going on or are in agreement about what’s
going on, trying to disguise it and say that’s just not so doesn’t
pass the pub test.
I
know it’s bull. You know it’s bull. We all know it’s bull. If
it makes you feel better to say and act otherwise, and it’s not
hurting anyone, you have great time with it. Just don’t expect
me to believe it. (And don’t expect it to pass the pub test.)
There’s
a problem with the pub test. And it’s hiding in plain sight. Crediting
something to it usually isn’t because it refers to the thoughts
of the masses. Instead, it’s hoisted up and dusted off and presented
as the truth because of a sloppy, lazy approach to a subject.
Rather
than going out and actually asking one hundred people on the street,
a source attributes an opinion to the fictional masses. As in:
“But we all know this-or-that doesn’t pass the pub test.”
In
many ways, that’s where things get interesting for me. And probably
not in exactly the way you think.
I
admit, assuming popular opinion is a dangerous way to go. As the
expression goes, common sense ain’t that common. I feel quite
the same about believing it’s obvious what the majority believe.
So, yeah, there are a lot of considerations on the sloppy and
lazy side of the street. Arguments could be made against it.
For
me though, I wonder where an issue crosses the line between debatable
and obvious. The sun will rise tomorrow? We all agree. Pub test
passed. The sun will rise tomorrow as a sign of hope? Maybe not
to all.
Where
I’m trying to eventually get with this is simple, if I’d get out
of my own way and just say it.
How
often do we recognize that what we think isn’t always what everyone
else is thinking? And, when it’s not, do we see when our thoughts
are not lining up with everyone else?
Do
we know if we’d pass the pub test?
We
could spin off wildly into all sorts of places with that. There
are history books filled with people having to take the first
steps toward what is right with prevailing opinion being that
it’s not. And, honestly, I’m not looking to get that deep and
serious here. After all, we’re in a pub, sharing a drink and some
stories, along with a laugh or two. Casual and fun.
But
the use of the pub test, properly and improperly got me wondering.
There’s
a conversation topic you’ll occasionally hear performers have
about the edge of the stage. There’s actually a lot of symbolism
and advice built into any discussion about it. But the literal
idea is simple, if you don’t know where the edge is it’s really
easy to fall off.
There’s
a lesson in that for our pub test. If you happen to be open to
learning it.