I keep hearing and seeing a term that for some reason irritates me: "eye candy." This term is often used to describe the visually appealing aspects of new computer operating systems like Windows Vista and Mac OS X Leopard. The term gives me the creeps, because it makes me feel like I have some sticky gooey (not GUI, forgive the pun) substance in my eye. The use of "candy" in this way probably comes from the seventies term for cocaine, "nose candy." The meaning is slightly different, however. With "eye candy" the meaning is one of something aesthetically appealing to the eye, whereas "nose candy" was not aesthetically appealing to the nose, which it often did damage to, but made the user feel good. The metaphor here does make more sense because the cocaine was physically ingested by the nose just as candy by the mouth, although the nose didn't necessarily enjoy the experience. However, it might suffer damage as the mouth does from candy in the form of tooth decay. "Eye candy" is not physically ingested by the eye, and won't damage it.
Taking these two terms together, one might arrive at the following meaning for the new additive element, "candy": some aspect of a thing or process that contributes an enjoyable or aesthetic feature appreciated by one of the senses.
Now imagine the horrific results if this usage spreads. If cocaine is "nose candy", then marijuana can be called "lung candy", and heroin, "vein candy." Music will have to be referred to as "ear candy" and art in general is an other example of "eye candy." Would Preparation H be "butt candy"? Perhaps the users of this product might disagree, because the term "candy" implies that the thing, substance, whatever, is not essential to the "operating system."
Finally, if the term really gains wide acceptance, then we will have to call real candy (like chocolate) "mouth candy," which of course could refer to cake, ice cream, and all forms of desert. I suppose alcohol would be included.
So please, stop the spread of "candy," and instead of "eye candy" substitute "aesthetically appealing features." Not as catchy, but it won't give your eye that sticky gooey sensation.
And if you find this rant to be a frivolous, but enjoyable addition to Regruntled, just consider it "blog candy."
2 comments:
I thought "eye candy" referred to members of the lusted after gender and that it was used by lustees in the same manner as many other items of food have also been used to indicate "you are soooo (fill in the blank), I could eat you with a spoon!"
But then I am old...
CET
I have to agree with Anonymous re: lusted after member of the appropriate sex. (Don't get me onto the issue of the misuse of "gender". Ppl are sexed, words are gendered. Anyway...)
My understanding is that there is also a connotation of being slightly light in the intellectual department (just as candy is light in the balanced nutrition department), but I do recall some cogitator-writer commenting about seeing an older guy walking down a beach with a totally delicious bikini clad young piece of eye candy on his arm, then realized that they were discussing some highly intellectual matter, and she was holding up her end of the conversation.
The C-W had to revise her own thinking about eye candy to include the possibility that there was no inherent conflict between brains and unusual beauty.
So, for me, eye candy suggests some one of unusual beauty but little substance. Like John Edwards.
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