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John Durbin demonstrating the importance of meh at a Denuo outing.

Generation Y seems to be plagued with the label of being…I dunno…indifferent. Marketers spend billions attempting to get through to us, and so far it looks like discordant jingles and are the only things worth acknowledging these days. Figures that we’re responsible for perpetuating the ultimate expression for apathy: meh (or “meah” if you’re nasal).

Yes, I know. It’s been around for a while, and became official last year. But has anyone ever figured out where it came from? Keep reading to find out.

Many credit an episode from “The Simpsons” for first using the word. But its popularity is in written form rather than spoken. I’m assuming an efficient online version of the shoulder shrug was needed (thanks to the increase in yawn-inducing iChats) and an emoticon simply wouldn’t do. From “eh,” to “bleh,” to “bah,” to “feh,” nothing does more justice for “that comment is so worthless a bleating goat would disapprove” than “meh.”

But in very un-meh fashion, a backlash is happening.

A few weeks ago, of “The Daily Show” and Apple fame tweeted:

Did I ever tell you people how much I hate the word ‘meh’? Nothing announces ‘I have missed the point’ more than that word…It is the essence of blinkered Internet malcontentism. And a rejection of joy.

Wow, who’s the killjoy now, Microsoft guy? I never realized that when I responded to someone with “meh” that I was sucking all the sunshine and candy out of this world.

The Tribune blogged about Hodgman’s comments and collected 81 responses, with a few choice comments echoing his sentiment:

… “Meh” is a pathetic excuse for verbal expression. Even the apathetic can, and should, do better than that, if for nothing else than for the sake their of verbal fluency. But then again, I guess if you’re apathetic you really don’t care.

— Amanda, Miami, FL

Both meh and my bad make the user sound uneducated and juvenile, 5th grade maybe if that high. Folks, use real words.

— Danny Webster, Island Lake, IL

If we continue to use “meh”, then the terrorists have won.

— daeviant, Arlington Heights, IL

Okay, so not only does my use of “meh” encourage “blinkered Internet malcontentism,” but also makes me pathetic, juvenile (5th grade, at best) and a terrorist (who has won).

I suppose a more appropriate alternative to “meh” would be:

That is insufficient in value and does not persuade me to respond at this moment, though I thoroughly respect your contribution to this conversation and to the world. You are a delight.

And undoubtedly, the person would respond, “Meh.”

So my lethargic campaign with meh-ing continues, and will continue, until I find it severely uncool in another year. (Rest in peace, LMAO.)

Next, I shall conquer the use of baroo?, the passive-aggressive version of “huh?” and pffft, the poor man’s version of “meh.”