One that comes to mind for me: “Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is not always true. Maybe even only half the time! Are there any phrases you tend to hear and shake your head at?

  • november@lemmy.vg
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    68
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    4 months ago

    “Grow up and live in the real world” / “Life’s not fair” / other thought-terminating cliches used to shut down anyone who wants the world to be a better place than it is. Like, I fucking know it’s an unfair place. The whole point is that I would like for it to be less unfair.

    • Fuzzy_Red_Panda@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      4 months ago

      “Life isn’t fair” always bothered me, even as a kid, because it was used against me to dismiss unjust actions.

      Saying something isn’t fair is basically saying it’s not right, it’s not just.

      Trying to claim the injustice against me is moot or unimportant just because there’s lots of injustice in the world, seems bonkers to me.

      • samus12345@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        4 months ago

        It’s an accurate statement. Life isn’t fair, or right, or just. However, it ignores the fact that we as humans can choose to try to make it those things.

    • Asafum@feddit.nl
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      4 months ago

      I actually am guilty of using that when people try to tell me “there’s someone out there for everyone.” Or “don’t worry, you’ll find someone who loves you for you.”

      Like no? Life isn’t fair, there’s no guarantee of anything.

      To your point I agree though, discussing what we’d like to improve is important.

      • jpreston2005@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        4 months ago

        “You’ll find someone who loves you for you,” is totally true, as long as you are also continuously lowering your standards until you find them.

      • november@lemmy.vg
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        4 months ago

        Everyone knows that, though. So what’s the point of saying it when someone is trying to make things more fair?

        • cley_faye@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          4 months ago

          Because saying things, even if they are known, is a thing humans do for various reasons. It seems that sometimes they need to be reminded simple truth.

          • november@lemmy.vg
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            4 months ago

            Nah. Someone lamenting that the world is unfair and needs to change does not need to be reminded that the world is unfair.