I recently read that researchers at Oxford University have ranked the phrase, "I personally", as the 3rd most irritating expression in the English language.
The reason for the ranking was two-fold: It is overused, for one. Secondly, it is redundant.
I personally (ha ha ha) would add a third reason to the list: It is essentially a pompous facade that acts to out-confidence the listener into agreement. Whipping out the old, "Well I personally believe that *insert some typically vague, generalised statement about a usually highly polarised issue here*", is an effective way to subtley diguise a deficit in a logically defendable opinion.
Anyway, what i realised today was that i have my own list of most irritating expressions, and somewhere in the top-half of this list lives the expression, "I love my friends".
The reasons more or less boil down to the same 3 as above. Overused. Redundant. Deficiency-disguising self-assurance (probably).
But the real reason it irks me, i realised today, is cos ,"I love my friends", is the way of the world. Myself included. What's so commendable about loving your friends? Obviously nothing. They're your friends for a reason. One would hope that you love at least them, if noone else.
It's loving those who AREN'T your friends that distinguishes a great person from an average one. And it irks me to think that im average.
2 comments:
um, your blog is amazing.
WHO ARE YOU?
sean is right, you were born to write your own column.
i don't know who you are either, but judging by the coolness factor of this blog you must be related to the forghanis from spain.
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