# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/21 "2022-02-28T02:09:48Z")
Pretty much ANY Religious (and here in the US, 95% of the time, it’s Christian) Platitudes - Examples taken from [here](https://www.orbcfamily.org/blog/faith/7-christian-cliches-that-help-no-one/) A few that make my blood boil, and haven’t already been touched on. 1. When God closes a door, He opens a window 2. I’ll pray about it/If I feel led/If it’s God’s will 3. Love the sinner, hate the sin 4. God won’t give you more than you can handle - Number 1 & 4 being different versions of the same thing to my mind, and # 3 makes me especially batty - I have no obligation to love a sinner, because the sort of people that are guilty of atrocious sins are almost always horrible people. And plenty of religious folks sure seem to hate the sinner FOR the so-called sin, especially if it’s the sin of being gay, of a different religion, or getting an abortion. And don’t get me started about # 2, it’s always an excuse for NOT taking action, or doing what you wanted to do all along. -calms self- Just typing them out makes me irritable, much less when someone says one of these in my presence. ---
**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, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/22 "2022-02-28T02:57:14Z")
And don’t forget about China’s East-West Divide. There may be plenty of stuff for people in China’s eastern provinces, but very little of that trickles to the western provinces. ---
**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, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/23 "2022-02-28T02:59:29Z")
Some, but the vast majority of the population–and you cannot discount familial pressure on this issue–want to enter into a heterosexual marriage. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/24 "2022-02-28T03:02:59Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > Some may die before marrying. […] Some may prefer living alone. Both of those are counterexamples to the “someone for everyone” platitude. Unless we modify the platitude to something like “statistically speaking, there’s at least one realistically available potential partner for everyone who desires one who is willing and able to put in the necessary effort”, etc. At which point the statement isn’t really a simple platitude anymore, also it’s still wrong. ---
**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, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/25 "2022-02-28T03:10:48Z")
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Everything happens for a reason. You just have to take a leap of faith. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/26 "2022-02-28T03:51:48Z")
“Do what you love and the money will follow.” Ha, ha, ha. No. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/27 "2022-02-28T03:56:34Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.” What’s wrong with that? You can teach a skill you can’t do yourself. ---
**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, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/28 "2022-02-28T04:08:00Z")
It carries the very strong implication that teaching is somehow lesser than doing; that it’s what people do when they’ve otherwise failed in life. I don’t think I’ve seen it used any other way, really. It doesn’t _have_ to carry that connotation–it’s true, after all, that when John the Bridgebuilder is too old to haul stones around all day, he can nevertheless contribute to society by teaching. But it’s a short distance between that and the more negative implications. ---
**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, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/29 "2022-02-28T04:56:03Z")
Yeah, it’s clearly disparaging to teachers / trainers. I’ve never heard it said about a trainer people like. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/30 "2022-02-28T05:10:19Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Pretty much ANY Religious (and here in the US, 95% of the time, it’s Christian) Platitudes - It’s “thoughts and prayers” for me. I can understand the frustration of something happening and you can’t do anything about it or even to ameliorate it, but T&P is a sop for you, not the victim. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/31 "2022-02-28T06:02:39Z")
“everything happens for a reason” Well yeah, but that reason is the natural laws that govern the universe (physics, chemistry, math). Things don’t ‘happen’ for the purposes of the spiritual growth or psychological fulfillment of a subspecies of primates with larger brains. The universe doesn’t give a damn about sentient life. ---
**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, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/32 "2022-02-28T06:39:45Z")
The East-West divide I referred to above is the [Heihe-Tongcheng Line](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heihe%E2%80%93Tengchong_Line). ---
**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:** [February 28, 2022, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/33 "2022-02-28T06:56:56Z")
And then there’s “God bless you.” And “He’s gone to a better place.” ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/34 "2022-02-28T07:00:33Z")
I don’t have any to nominate that haven’t already been named, but I would like “if ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we’d all have a merry Christmas” to make a comeback. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/35 "2022-02-28T07:22:50Z")
Blood is thicker than water. I hate this bc it implies that if you have a family member that is toxic, you should remain loyal to them anyway bc you happen to be related. Such bullshit, and far too many people agree with the sentiment. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/36 "2022-02-28T07:34:07Z")
“Sending healing thoughts your way.” Are you God now? ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/37 "2022-02-28T08:12:16Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > > [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > > > “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.” > > What’s wrong with that? You can teach a skill you can’t do yourself. Perhaps, but then it may be missing the third leg of that stool: “…and those who can’t teach, manage”. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/38 "2022-02-28T08:54:15Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.” Those who can’t teach, teach gym. (Woody Allen) ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/39 "2022-02-28T09:37:04Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > “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. > [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > We obviously get around in different circles. I’ve only heard it used neutrally. I too have only ever heard this in a neutral manner. It’s equivalent to: _“When it’s all said and done.”_ or _“It all boils down to…”_ ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/40 "2022-02-28T10:44:45Z")
> [@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. I think you are taking this one too literally. I take it to mean that, whatever your quirks or drawbacks, there is someone out that that will embrace - or at least, tolerate - them. I don’t think it’s intended as a math exercise. mmm [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203.md?page=3)