[Ads-l] "act like you've been someplace before"

[Martin Schneider]

Yes, ADS, ADS, stupid error in the salutation. Apologies.

On Thu, Jul 16, 2026 at 3:23 PM Martin Schneider <wovenstrap at gmail.com>
wrote:

> This is my first thread so I hope I'm doing this right. (The first effort
> already foundered but I think I have fixed the issue.)
>
> A friend is fond of the trope "Act like you've been someplace before,"
> this is basically his main rule in life, try not to get caught out looking
> like a rube and so forth. It's a good life rule, for sure.
>
> The question is, where does it come from? I have a strong hunch that it
> comes from sports, specifically football. In the 1970s or so it became more
> common for (usually African-American, or at least so goes the narrative)
> athletes to engage in flamboyant post-score celebrations. The "high five"
> was invented around this time, as was the general spectacle (no reproach)
> of spiking the ball in the end zone or even doing a little dance.
>
> I think there evolved a backlash to this, because anything interesting
> that African-American people do requires a protest or backlash in this
> country, right? So the trope might have run "Stan Musial / Johnny Unitas /
> [insert favored tight-lipped white athlete of yore here] didn't feel the
> need to do a dance every time they did something......" grumble, grumble,
> let's ban fun. Act like you've been someplace before.
>
> But who knows, maybe it comes from the military. Maybe it comes from the
> world of commerce and board rooms! Anybody know?
>
> I'd appreciate seeing the fruits of your researches.
>
> Thanks,
> Martin
>
>

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