# What platitudes do you wish people would stop using? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 27, 2022, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203 "2022-02-27T23:20:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cmyers1980](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyers1980/32/11814_2.png) [@Cmyers1980](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cmyers1980)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2022, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/1 "2022-02-27T23:20:49Z")
According to Wikipedia a platitude is a trite, meaningless, or prosaic statement, often used as a thought terminating cliché, aimed at quelling social, emotional or cognitive unease. The statement may be true but its meaning has been lost due to its excessive use. With this in mind what platitudes do you wish people stopped using? My example is the expression “Everything happens for a reason.” This is true since it’s basic logic and reason at work but this doesn’t mean there’s some magical or metaphysical reason for events whether mundane or important or positive or negative. The universe doesn’t exactly dole out rewards, punishments and harsh lessons. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2022, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/2 "2022-02-27T23:24:45Z")
All of them. Literally. All of them. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2022, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/3 "2022-02-27T23:28:27Z")
“Thank you for your service.” I work on a US military base and I have yet to meet a vet or active duty that gives a shit. When they smile back or say, “thank you,” they’re just being polite. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/4 "2022-02-28T00:04:26Z")
“At the end of the day.” In my entire life, I have never heard this used other than to excuse someone’s meanness and condescension. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/5 "2022-02-28T00:06:07Z")
“I love so-and-so dearly, but…” ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/6 "2022-02-28T00:27:21Z")
“You can do anything you put your mind to.” ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/7 "2022-02-28T00:29:49Z")
This, I find it fascistic. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/8 "2022-02-28T00:36:31Z")
“It’s all good”, or “everything happens for the best”. No, I really think you might be stupid. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/9 "2022-02-28T00:50:33Z")
“Keep an open mind”. Originally an invitation to think out of the box creatively, now mostly misused as an excuse for unreasonable perceptions. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/10 "2022-02-28T01:05:49Z")
“It is what it is” But yes, all of them should go away. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/11 "2022-02-28T01:15:32Z")
An important one that arose during COVID was that “We’re all in the same boat.” No, we’re all in the same storm but we’re in very different boats. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/12 "2022-02-28T01:19:42Z")
We obviously get around in different circles. I’ve only heard it used neutrally. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/13 "2022-02-28T01:31:06Z")
_Every single time_ we do a thread on scams, someone will post, “You can’t cheat an honest person.” _Of course_ you can. There are _all kinds_ of scams that rely on the victim’s honesty and desire to do the right thing to succeed. The platitude isn’t just wrong, it does _active harm_ in discouraging victims from coming forward and helping to expose the scam. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/14 "2022-02-28T01:35:28Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > All of them. > > Literally. All of them. Fuck yes. I used to have a friend who, for some weird reason, went from being a really good conversationalist to being completely reliant on platitudes. At about the same time my wife was in a two year cancer battle and I heard more than enough stupid platitudes. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/15 "2022-02-28T01:38:11Z")
“There’s someone for everyone.” No, there isn’t. In a nation like China, for instance, there are 30 million more men than women. It’s impossible. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/16 "2022-02-28T01:42:39Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > There’s someone for everyone.” > > No, there isn’t. In a nation like China, for instance, there are 30 million more men than women. It’s impossible. Keep an open mind… ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/17 "2022-02-28T01:53:48Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > No, there isn’t. In a nation like China, for instance, there are 30 million more men than women. It’s impossible. Some may die before marrying. Some may be gay. Some may marry foreigners. Some may prefer living alone. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/18 "2022-02-28T02:00:24Z")
I’m disappointed to see “Thank you for your service!” on the list. My Zeyde (Zeyde being Yiddish fro grandfather) Herman was in the military. As a very young kid, I couldn’t process how somebody so great and caring and loving could become a professional killer. As I grew, I came to realize he didn’t join the army to kill. He joined to be part of a purpose greater than himself, to learn skills, have comradery (sp?) travel to exotic parts of the world, help the people there, teach their kids about American cartons and give them his dessert ration. His joining in the army wasn’t in conflict with his good nature. It was an extension of it. THAT is what I mean when I say “Thank you for your service.” ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/19 "2022-02-28T02:00:48Z")
“Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.” ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/20 "2022-02-28T02:03:44Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I’m disappointed to see “Thank you for your service!” on the list. +1 but if there’s a better way to express it, ok. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203.md?page=2)