"So What?"

So What? Is it a way to give up, or is it the beginning of action? I think if used correctly, then "So What" can be the beginning of action, or at least the beginning of thinking. Take for example, the other day someone said to me, "Do you know that when we retire there would be no more Social Security?" and I said, "So What?" This person thought that I was giving up and not caring about the subject at hand. What this person failed to see that if we answered every problem, complaint, difficulty with "So What?" we would have a better chance of evaluating the situation and seeing if there is anything we can do about the situation or anything we really want to do about a situation. Let's take for example the problem with Social Security, when I said so what that forces me to ask myself, so what does this matter to me, and so what I am going to do about it? Maybe I can't change the course of something, but I can take responsibility to change how I will approach a situation. Maybe I need to save now, maybe I need to find a second income that will keep coming in for the rest of my life whatever I choose the choice is mine to make and act upon.
The same holds true with what I see in the mirror, if I look into the mirror and don't like what I see, I can complain, and moan about it or I can say "So What?" and now the ball is in my court to do something. "So what" am I going to do about how I look, what choices will I make today and each day to change what I don't like. The choice is ours, so tomorrow will you complain about a situation that you don't like, or seems unfair or will you ask yourself "So What?" and then come up with an answer that you can act upon to make some real changes in your life. The choice is yours.