By Daniel Rigney
I contend that we human beings think almost entirely in clichés. Indeed, we could scarcely live and communicate without these handy little thought-savers. I know I couldn't.
But let’s face it. Our current cliché system is broken. Its wheels are coming off. We’re running on fumes, and the road ahead is foggy and winding. Our habits of thought and speech are in a deep rut or a muddy ditch if, indeed, they have not gone straight off a cliff of some sort.
Truly we stand at a crossroad. Our system of catch phrases and platitudes teeters on the brink of a precipice, and there can be no turning back. We must go forward. History has no reverse gear.
What’s needed going forward, I will argue, is a fresh supply of platitudes and catch phrases to help us survive the crises and dangerous opportunities of the 21st century, or what’s left of it now that we’ve wasted the first decade or so.
Let me be clear. I’m not proposing a one-size-fits-all solution to our impending cliché crisis. I’m only saying that we cannot forever continue to kick the proverbial can down the road. If we are to remain competitive in the global marketplace of ideas, we must continually seek dynamic and creative solutions to the emerging challenges of tomorrow.
I cannot repeat too often that our broken cliché system is at a crossroad. One path leads downward toward a slippery slope. Another puts us on the upward path toward a level playing field where everyone has a seat at the table.
Let’s not be a part of the cliché problem. Let’s be a part of the solution. Won’t you help us find more imaginative ways to address the growing challenges we confront in this rapidly changing and increasingly interconnected world?
Who will come forward and help us brainstorm the cultural clichés of the future? Anyone? Anyone?
No? Okay, then, I’ll give it a shot in my next post, “Growing Sustainable Memes,” where I’ll suggest some new phrases and platitudes that might be useful to progressives who share my interest in emerging energy and environmental issues. Until then,
Happy trails.
Readers who disliked this post may also dislike Announcing the "Catchies."
Danagram
:] curating our precious cliché heritage since 2011
I contend that we human beings think almost entirely in clichés. Indeed, we could scarcely live and communicate without these handy little thought-savers. I know I couldn't.
But let’s face it. Our current cliché system is broken. Its wheels are coming off. We’re running on fumes, and the road ahead is foggy and winding. Our habits of thought and speech are in a deep rut or a muddy ditch if, indeed, they have not gone straight off a cliff of some sort.
Truly we stand at a crossroad. Our system of catch phrases and platitudes teeters on the brink of a precipice, and there can be no turning back. We must go forward. History has no reverse gear.
What’s needed going forward, I will argue, is a fresh supply of platitudes and catch phrases to help us survive the crises and dangerous opportunities of the 21st century, or what’s left of it now that we’ve wasted the first decade or so.
Let me be clear. I’m not proposing a one-size-fits-all solution to our impending cliché crisis. I’m only saying that we cannot forever continue to kick the proverbial can down the road. If we are to remain competitive in the global marketplace of ideas, we must continually seek dynamic and creative solutions to the emerging challenges of tomorrow.
I cannot repeat too often that our broken cliché system is at a crossroad. One path leads downward toward a slippery slope. Another puts us on the upward path toward a level playing field where everyone has a seat at the table.
Let’s not be a part of the cliché problem. Let’s be a part of the solution. Won’t you help us find more imaginative ways to address the growing challenges we confront in this rapidly changing and increasingly interconnected world?
Who will come forward and help us brainstorm the cultural clichés of the future? Anyone? Anyone?
No? Okay, then, I’ll give it a shot in my next post, “Growing Sustainable Memes,” where I’ll suggest some new phrases and platitudes that might be useful to progressives who share my interest in emerging energy and environmental issues. Until then,
Happy trails.
Readers who disliked this post may also dislike Announcing the "Catchies."
Danagram
:] curating our precious cliché heritage since 2011
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