# Stupid Quotations You Hate To Hear

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [April 19, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241 "2012-04-19T03:42:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/81 "2012-04-22T03:13:15Z")

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> [@Wheelz](#):
>
> “Everything happens for a reason.”

I believe in causality, but this statement implies a \*purpose \*or a \*significance \*to everything. Sorry, sometimes shit just happens (good shit too).

And then there’s “Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Well, it can. And it can also leave you horribly maimed and incapacitated, wishing it had killed you.

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**Author:** ![living\_in\_hell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@living\_in\_hell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/living_in_hell)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/82 "2012-04-22T13:34:25Z")

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I actually kind of believe that things happen for a reason–that reason doesn’t have to be all zen and shit but I know that there have been crappy situations which have left me feeling stuck and miserable only to just surrender to it and then come out much better on the other side.

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**Author:** ![watergallop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3bc359/32.png) [@watergallop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watergallop)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/83 "2012-04-24T06:26:51Z")

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> [@SanDiegoTim](#):
>
> I feel like bitch slapping anyone who responds with “Whatever.”

My 87-year-old grandma heard somewhere that “whatever” is code for “fuck you.” She told me this. Sometimes she will automatically say, without thinking, the way all of us do:

“Well, whatever.”

Whenever she does this, I say “GRANDma!” and we both laugh really hard. Because she just told her granddaughter,

“Fuck you.”

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**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/84 "2012-04-24T06:57:11Z")

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Death to that old canard attributed to Churchill, how if you’re not a liberal when you’re 20 you have no heart, and if you’re not a conservative when you’re 40 you have no brain. Whoever said that had no brain. What’s more, [Churchill never said it](http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill#Misattributed)—making it doubly stupid.

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**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/85 "2012-04-24T16:26:00Z")

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> [@tdn](#):
>
> In my case, doing the same thing over and over – dumping ignorant friends and retaining smart friends – is working out pretty well for me. 🙂

But that’s not expecting a different result.

I know… certain people… who do the same stupid thing over and over again, even though he- er, I mean _they_- right, they get physically hurt doing it, and then loudly register their bewilderment that what always happens happened.  
That was when I was compelled to use the insanity quote. Not that it did any good.

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**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/86 "2012-04-24T16:39:58Z")

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Reading an article about a singer and they’re described as “…the (insert random song they do) hitmaker…”

Is “hitmaker” even a word?

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**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/87 "2012-04-25T02:58:24Z")

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I don’t know if this is a quotation so much as a misquote, but I detest hearing, “that’s a win-win for both of us.” Grrr! Don’t you know what “win-win” means?

The other one that used to drive me nuts is when I was going through chemotherapy treatments and people said, “you’re being so brave.” Brave? No, I’m not. My choices were (a) get chemotherapy or (b) die. I leaned pretty heavily toward (a). That was a practical choice, not a brave one. Ditto when I hear cancer survivors referred to as “heroes.” Really? Go look up the word hero.

> [@67java89](#):
>
> “Garbage in, garbage out”. This never made any sense to me, yet it’s way overused by some parents regarding what they let their kids read or watch on tv. :mad:

I’ve been using that one since I started studying computer science lo, these many years ago. It means, “if you feed crappy data into your computer, you’ll get crappy results.” I don’t, however, use it in reference to parenting.

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**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/88 "2012-04-25T03:31:46Z")

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> [@atlantic](#):
>
> My addition to this thread is “I could care less.” Ugh! No, you _couldn’t_ care less because if you care less then, well, **YOU CARE**.

I like to say it that way (“I could care less”), then continue with “but I’m not really willing to go to that much trouble.”

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**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/89 "2012-04-25T05:28:06Z")

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> [@maggenpye](#):
>
> “That which doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.”
> 
> Bullshit.

Agree!

Sure, there are the rare stories of some great redemtion after catastrophic tragedy, but the sad truth is what doesn’t kill you more often just fucks your shit up.

Example: I met a guy who ate a slug on a dare. Put him in a coma, and he woke up blind. Not stronger,\* blind\*. Knew another guy, had a major accident. Made him weak, bitter and miserable, along with everyone around him. Dead now from other causes, and a welcome departure for everyone else. 20+ years of shit, not strength.

As long as I’m here… STFU with those stupid “God is watching over you” stories. You know, the one where the guy gets hit by a cement truck, and by a _blessed miracle!_ the first person who pulls up is a Doctor! Because _God Loves You!_ :rolleyes:

Why didn’t he just prevent the accident?

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**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/90 "2012-04-25T07:01:34Z")

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> [@Gatopescado](#):
>
> Agree!
> 
> Sure, there are the rare stories of some great redemtion after catastrophic tragedy, but the sad truth is what doesn’t kill you more often just fucks your shit up.
> 
> Example: I met a guy who ate a slug on a dare. Put him in a coma, and he woke up blind. Not stronger,\* blind\*. Knew another guy, had a major accident. Made him weak, bitter and miserable, along with everyone around him. Dead now from other causes, and a welcome departure for everyone else. 20+ years of shit, not strength.
> 
> As long as I’m here… STFU with those stupid “God is watching over you” stories. You know, the one where the guy gets hit by a cement truck, and by a _blessed miracle!_ the first person who pulls up is a Doctor! Because _God Loves You!_ :rolleyes:
> 
> Why didn’t he just prevent the accident?

Thanks. Yes, if god’s doing (or ignoring) this sort of incredibly painful, life destroying shit _as a message of love_, I don’t think I’ll be worshipping him anytime soon.

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**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/91 "2012-04-25T11:15:11Z")

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“Are you following me?”

“I want my money back.”

“I swear to God that if you don’t leave right now I’m going to smash your face in.”

“Why didn’t you come to work yesterday?”

I’m so sick of hearing those.

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**Author:** ![RedWood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f08c70/32.png) [@RedWood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedWood)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/92 "2012-04-26T03:03:19Z")

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Quasi:  
some light on your original post 🙂 [Dr. John and Allen Toussaint- What Comes Around (Goes Around)- Bonnaroo 2011 - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pevTrRGd0ks)

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**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/93 "2012-04-26T05:00:19Z")

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I had a coworker for many years who used to preface her statements with “To be perfectly honest…”.  
What, are there shades of honesty? With “perfectly” being the most exalted? Hey bitch, I try to be honest in everything I do and say.

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**Author:** ![SunSandSuffering](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@SunSandSuffering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunSandSuffering)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/94 "2012-04-26T11:10:24Z")

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> [@Eve](#):
>
> . . . “But there are three _U_’s in ‘shut the fuck up.’” That is always \*my \*response.

There’s no “I” in “team”…

…but there is YOU in CUNT.

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**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/95 "2012-04-26T12:22:35Z")

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> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#):
>
> Reading an article about a singer and they’re described as “…the (insert random song they do) hitmaker…”
> 
> Is “hitmaker” even a word?

I’m tired of hearing every entertainment person described as “legendary.”

Paul Bunyan was legendary, and so was Babe, his blue ox.

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**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/96 "2012-04-26T12:43:26Z")

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[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:87, topic:619241”]

(about GIGO)  
I’ve been using that one since I started studying computer science lo, these many years ago. It means, “if you feed crappy data into your computer, you’ll get crappy results.” I don’t, however, use it in reference to parenting.  
[/QUOTE]

And that’s the thing with some of these phrases – they may be applicable in their original context but then some people seem to believe that makes them fundamental philosophical principles portable to every other circumstance or sphere of life.

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**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/97 "2012-04-26T15:24:14Z")

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> [@Sigmagirl](#):
>
> I’m tired of hearing every entertainment person described as “legendary.”
> 
> Paul Bunyan was legendary, and so was Babe, his blue ox.

Yes! I try to use “iconic” instead when writing obits. And “tragic death.” \*Not every death is “tragic!” \*Sad, yes, sometimes unnecessary, or even stupid, but will you stop with the _tragic?_

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**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/98 "2012-04-26T17:51:47Z")

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“Ex-\*squeeze \*me?!”

I freakin’ hate that saying.

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**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/99 "2012-04-26T18:02:53Z")

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> [@Quasimodem](#):
>
> “He/She’s in a better place”
> 
> Where, Reno?
> 
> Q

I’m not crazy about this one either. While you’re at it, we’ll add in the variants such as “we can’t understand God’s plan”, “It was meant to be”, etc. I’m a God loving man; and even I think those are the absolute worse things you can say to someone who has died.

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**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-quotations-you-hate-to-hear/619241/100 "2012-04-26T20:15:29Z")

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> [@Quasimodem](#):
>
> “It _is_ what it _is_”

I use this to express my indifference, every so often…usually when someone is being overly dramatic and I don’t care to entertain the discussion (which usually is a circular one, where there is more complaining than actual solutions).

> [@](#):
>
> “Whatever.”

Conversely, I dislike this one because it’s so indifferent. 🙂

One quote I _like_, though:

“You won’t have time, unless you make time”, in response to: “_I never have time_”.

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