# 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:** 3
**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, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/41 "2022-02-28T10:48:13Z")
Funny enough, my experience with those two has been the same as with “at the end of the day”. I guess we really do move in different circles! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/42 "2022-02-28T11:32:25Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > “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. And, sure, she died because her head hit the curb when that purse-snatcher knocked her down — but that happened for a _reason_: he wanted to take her money! And he succeeded! Isn’t that wonderful and reassuring? It’d be troubling if he did that for _no_ reason; but, instead, he was accomplishing a goal! ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/43 "2022-02-28T11:48:38Z")
This is so true. Someone I work with says “…at the end of the day” in a bullying tone that’s dismissive of anyone’s concerns. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/44 "2022-02-28T11:59:42Z")
‘Look before you leap’ / ‘He who hesitates is lost’. ‘Many hands make light work’ / ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’. I wanted to offer a ‘pretty unique’ example… 🤢 ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/45 "2022-02-28T12:03:16Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > “It is what it is” I can’t think of a better way to communicate fatalistic acceptance of unpleasant circumstances that aren’t easily changed. > [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > “It’s all good”, or “everything happens for the best”. “It’s all good” doesn’t bother me, and if I look back over my own history, I’ve probably used it fairly often to indicate that I’m not bothered by the overall outcome/circumstances being discussed. OTOH, “everything happens for the best” is demonstrably bullshit. There are plenty of things that happen for the worse/worst. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/46 "2022-02-28T12:15:48Z")
> [@velomont](#): > > What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I came into the thread to say this one. After watching my sibling with a laundry list of handicaps struggle for so many years, after nearly dying as a toddler – this one really makes my blood boil. Makes me want to grab a hammer from my toolbox and help the speaker get a lot stronger. “It is what it is” Oddly enough I like this one, it’s just way overused. Sometimes you have to stop hoping for better, and live in the world as it is. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/47 "2022-02-28T12:41:02Z")
Which reminds me of this one. It’s a frequent response on social media when someone reports a sad event in their life: “Prayers sent.” ---
**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, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/48 "2022-02-28T12:45:16Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > > [@velomont](#): > > > > What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. > > I came into the thread to say this one. After watching my sibling with a laundry list of handicaps struggle for so many years, after nearly dying as a toddler – this one really makes my blood boil. Makes me want to grab a hammer from my toolbox and help the speaker get a lot stronger. Yes it would be more accurate if the platitude was actually “What doesn’t kill you will possibly permanently break you” I also hate “It gets better”. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/49 "2022-02-28T12:48:32Z")
“It’s human nature.” Usually used to justify war or selfishness. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/50 "2022-02-28T12:53:41Z")
“Bless you” when I sneeze. Jeez, it’s just a sneeze for crying out loud. “Thank you for your service”. You can have a chestful of medals and a Purple Heart and still be a terrible person. Everyone performs a service to society, why single out a single profession for endless praise? “They fought for our freedom”. Not really. In WW II, sure. You could even make a case for that being true for Korea. Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq- not so much. ---
**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, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/51 "2022-02-28T13:04:50Z")
> [@velomont](#): > > Yes it would be more accurate if the platitude was actually “What doesn’t kill you will possibly permanently break you” Or, “What doesn’t kill you brings you one step closer to the inevitable.” ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/52 "2022-02-28T13:28:46Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > “Bless you” when I sneeze. Jeez, it’s just a sneeze for crying out loud. I was at Lowe’s last year, looking at some stuff in the electrical aisle. I sneezed. A guy in the adjacent aisle (whom I couldn’t even see) yelled out, “Bless you.” 😒 I hate the “Bless you” so much that I will try and suppress my sneezes when I’m in a public place. I cringe a little and “wait for it” if I am unsuccessful in suppressing it. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/53 "2022-02-28T13:51:23Z")
To be honest, I don’t much care for platitudes. ---
**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, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/54 "2022-02-28T13:58:25Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > > [@velomont](#): > > > > Yes it would be more accurate if the platitude was actually “What doesn’t kill you will possibly permanently break you” > > Or, “What doesn’t kill you brings you one step closer to the inevitable.” - “What doesn’t kill you” hurts really, really bad. ---
**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, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/55 "2022-02-28T14:17:23Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > “Bless you” when I sneeze. All the ladies in my office say “Bless you”. I’m the only one who says “Gesundheit”. Living in the Bible Belt as I do, I feel waves of disapproval wafting over me every time, but possibly that’s just my imagination. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/56 "2022-02-28T14:21:22Z")
> [@velomont](#): > > I also hate “It gets better”. This one needs context. It’s certainly not universally applicable, but for children who suffer terrible ostracism and bullying for their sexuality, they really do need to hear that it _does_ get better: as they get older and enter adulthood, their lives will improve. > **[It Gets Better Project](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Gets_Better_Project)** > > It Gets Better is an Internet-based 501(c)3 nonprofit with a mission to uplift, empower, and connect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) youth around the globe. It was founded in the United States by gay activist, author, media pundit, and journalist Dan Savage and his husband Terry Miller on September 21, 2010, in response to the suicides of teenagers who were bullied because they were gay or because their peers suspected that they were gay. Its goal is to prevent suic A ... ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/57 "2022-02-28T14:23:13Z")
It’s a new one, but right now anything to do with the correct way to make a Molotov cocktail. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/58 "2022-02-28T14:25:57Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > All the ladies in my office say “Bless you”. I’m the only one who says “Gesundheit”. Living in the Bible Belt as I do, I feel waves of disapproval wafting over me every time, but possibly that’s just my imagination. I used to have a coworker who would respond “Hail Satan” in a deadpan voice whenever someone sneezed near him. ---
**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, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/59 "2022-02-28T14:29:36Z")
Ha! I wouldn’t dare. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203/60 "2022-02-28T14:49:08Z")
I never sneeze singly, there are always at least a dozen sneezes. My gf escalates from “bless you” (lower case “b”) to “gesundheit” to “what the fuck is wrong with you?” by number three. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-platitudes-do-you-wish-people-would-stop-using/960203.md?page=4)