We all do it -- we speak in patterns, or cliches if you will, without even thinking about it. Some are new, some are old. We use them in everyday conversations, in arguments, even in your head. Sure, it may make us feel like we lack originality or creativity, but cliches are tried and true. Except for when they aren’t. Here are some cliches, phrases or memes you should stop saying:
1. "I hate broke people."
Ew. OK, now that that’s out of the way, let’s discuss. The anti “broke” people movement (as it has been dubbed by me) is spawned from the old hip-hop adage that conflates wealth with success and value. Once hip-hop became more mainstream, artists of many genres began to associate “brokeness” with many negative traits, even ones that make no sense, like being nosy, spiteful, dramatic, bitter, etc.
What’s so bitterly funny is that Everyday Emma and Basic Bob have also begun to proclaim anti-brokenness in their life mantra. “Call me anything, but you can’t call me broke” they might meme-post to their Instagram. It’s funny because Everyday Emma and Basic Bob don’t realize the artists they’re imitating are talking about them.
In a Twitter feud that took place in 2013, singer Rihanna called singer Teyana Taylor -- a woman whose net worth at the time was 500 thousand dollars -- a “broke b---h.”
I personally don’t know very many people in their late teens and 20s with one-tenth of a million dollars, much less half, and yet these people are the same ones who feel qualified to look down on someone else’s financial status.
Not only is this classist, but it’s literally the poor hating the poor. Embarrassing.
2. "It’s their loss."
Most millennials have been through a tough break up or two (some of us three or four, but hey, no judgement) and sometimes we just need those corny, quick words of encouragement to soothe us so we can go about our day. Understandable.
But, as we know, some cliches hold more truth than others. Telling someone that just got dumped that it’s their “ex's loss” or some other variant like, “anyone after you is a downgrade” or even proclaiming these things to yourself is a no-no for one reason:
People must learn that it’s OK to not be the best thing that has ever happened to someone. Furthermore, it is OK for people to (gasp) be better off without us. The implication here is that the hurt party is going to find better, the person they were truly intended to be with, the “one.” If that’s the case, that means that they weren’t the “one” for their ex either, and they too are going to find better. And good for them.
Part of being a healthy adult means being proactive in healthy thinking and this particular cliche breeds resentment and contempt.
3. "I’ll sleep when I’m dead."
Being well rested is not only an amazing feeling, it’s pretty darn necessary if you want to be a healthy, functional being. However, it is becoming an increasingly more popular ideal that people should forgo their health for school, work or their social life.
Yes, doubling your paycheck by working extra shifts or staying out late five nights in a row just to have to drag yourself to class in the morning may seem appealing, but in the long run, pacing yourself will pay off. Otherwise, that dead sleep may come sooner than you think.
4. "Be careful who you call ugly."
A variant of the “#GloUpChallenge”, social media users have been posting pictures of themselves in their middle or high school days along with more current flicks with the caption “be careful who you call ugly.” Apparently, the point is, you shouldn’t tease people about their looks because they might one day develop into someone you find personally appealing.
No, not, “you shouldn’t bully people because it’s wrong, cruel and harmful;” just because in seven years you might want to give them a call.
What an incredible way to reduce yourself to your appearance. To be sure, there’s no crime in looking good, but looking good is not what gives someone merit or value. No one deserves to be treated poorly because of how they look, and conversely, no one should be treated better just because they “glo’d up” and got fine.
5. "You complete me."
Let’s be very clear: no one was put on this earth to be half a person. And if for some reason, you’re feeling like half a person, no other human being can plug that hole for you. The idea that this can be done isn’t just incorrect, it’s harmful. It may be a simple phrase, but words beget ideas and vice versa, so uttering it can spark the idea that one must look for themselves in other people.
This can lead to an unhealthy dependency on a romantic partner and/or romantic relationships. A boy/girlfriend can be good for many things, but never should we look to someone else to validate us.
Now, remember, this is just a working list, there are many other “tried and true” phrases that hold heavy, negative implications. Maybe we all need to look at our language and investigate whether or not we’re really communicating in a way that expresses how we feel.
