All Things Change

I’ve spent the latter half of my 33 years avoiding clichés. Although a marginal minority, there are a growing number of people that belong to the Cliché Naysayer’s Association (CNA). Well, okay there aren’t really that many… at least not that they would know they belong to the movement. I guess I’m trying to ”out them” as members.

So what is it that the CNA have against clichés and Regular Cliché Users (RCU)?

It could be that some clichés are used to arrive at poorly informed conclusions.
CNA member says:
“I don’t think he could have caused this.”
RCU possible responses:
“Where there’s smoke there’s fire” or
“You reap what you sow” or
“A chain is only as strong as its weakest link”

It could be that some clichés are convenient for ignoring reality.
CNA member says:
“My wife is terminally ill”
RCU possible responses:
“If you stay positive anything can happen” or
“Let’s cross our fingers everything will be alright” or
“It’s a blessing in disguise”

It could be that some clichés are used to permit indecision.
CNA member says:
“What’s been decided for this issue?”
RCU possible responses:
“It’s more of an either/either than an and/or” or
“I feel caught between a rock and a hard place” or
“There’s more than one way to skin a cat”

But more likely than not it’s because the word “cliché” keeps company with other words like platitude and stereotype. Clichés are truisms or a summary of a common value or belief. Clichés aren’t necessarily wrong but can be used as factual knowledge to which a response is not expected. Along with this the cliché user assumes a position of ownership of the knowledge behind summary and therefore seeks to enforce this knowledge without actually having discovered it for themselves. Oh well, no use re-inventing the wheel.

Admittedly clichés are unavoidable and the CNA doesn’t exist (although I wish it did). So how about we try a little harder to tidy up our conversations and use less clichés? After all, cleanliness is next to Godliness.