The Same Old 6 and 7

 

Young people always have slang that us older folks don’t understand.  The life span of these slang terms is very short.  Words and phrase are always entering and leaving the slang lexicon of young people.  Thankfully, the Wall Street Journal will occasionally publish an article presenting and explaining the latest slew of terms.  Because of this wonderful service from the Journal my kids were surprised when I would throw one of these words or terms.

A recent article in the Journal, The Numbers Six and Seven Are Making Life Hell for Math Teachers, introduced the latest piece of slang is taking over classrooms and social media feeds, leaving teachers and older generations scratching their heads: the phrase "6-7" (often pronounced "six-sev-eeennn"). This simple numerical pairing, frequently accompanied by an excited, palms-up hand gesture, has become a linguistic rage for a generation of young teens and kids, collectively known as Gen Alpha. Its rise is a perfect case study in how modern memes are born, spread, and evolve into a cultural phenomenon that signals who is "in" on the joke.

Per the Journal article:

Math teacher Cara Bearden braces herself for any equation that yields the two numbers, knowing her students will immediately scream them right back at her. “SIX Sevennnnnn,” they squeal with a palms-up, seesaw hand gesture that looks somewhere between juggling and melon handling. The meme is ripping across the internet and spilling into real life, especially at school.

“If you’re like, ‘Hey, you need to do questions six, seven,’ they just immediately start yelling, ‘Six Seven!’” says Bearden, who teaches sixth- and eighth-graders at Austin Peace Academy in Austin, Texas. “It’s like throwing catnip at cats.” 

The root of this "6-7" is a rap track "Doot Doot (6 7)" by artist Skrilla, released in 2024. The song snippet quickly went viral on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Its popularity was significantly amplified by a loose connection to the world of sports, as the audio was often used in video edits featuring NBA star LaMelo Ball, who famously stands at 6 feet 7 inches. This association helped cement the phrase in the minds of young users. The trend achieved full-blown meme status thanks to subsequent viral moments, including a video of a high school basketball prospect using the phrase and another of a young boy (dubbed the "6-7 Kid") enthusiastically shouting it at a game, complete with the now-iconic hand gesture.

 

 

"6-7" is a joke with no punchline; it doesn't actually mean anything. It functions as an absurd, random exclamation, often shouted when the numbers "six" or "seven" are mentioned, or sometimes, for no reason at all. Communication experts and linguists note that its very meaninglessness is its power; it serves purely as a social tool. By using "6-7," kids and teens create a shared language that instantly identifies their peers and separates them from outsiders, a classic generational practice that reflects the rapidly changing nature of digital culture.  And… it is fun.

But it is not as new and recent as we all think. 

Let’s go back to the 1970s.  I was in my mid-twenties working at Ford Motor Company.  One of my work colleagues was an engineer, a proud Purdue graduate, named Bill Granberry.  He was a few years older than me, great fellow, and a good work friend.  One day, we were talking, and I was expressing bewilderment at something, perhaps an organizational move, or product decision.  Bill kept saying “it’s the same old 6 and 7” which I thought was his attempt to clear up my bewilderment.  As it meant nothing to me, I finally asked out of a bit of frustration, “What is 6 and 7?”  He paused a second, looked at me and said, “13.”  After another moment, we both started laughing.  Bill got me.

Upon learning of the current “6 7” craze, it made me think of Bill’s use of it 50 years ago.  So, in summation, all I can is what’s old is new again.