Be prepared for an attack of the political cliches
As we head into a general election year – with the added ‘bonus’ of a US Presidential election – avoiding political bores on social media seems like the smart resolution for 2024.
Brace yourselves for the keyboard ‘activists’ becoming even more deeply entrenched in their mouth-foaming tribalism, as the issues of the day are debated in reductive, insulting and self-important cliches. Expect to become heartily sick of the following tedious phrases in coming months:
‘Right side of history’:
Often used to claim the moral high ground, usually by the sort of people that history is unlikely to touch with a bargepole.
‘Let that sink in’: An overdramatic suggestion that the preceding statement should have a profound impact. The sensible response is usually a bored shrug and letting it sink without trace.
‘Do better’: A fingerwagging favourite among self-important online activists, who believe this is a devastating sign-off to their latest lecture. The fact it reads like a comment a teacher would write on your homework is no coincidence.
‘I’m triggering all the right people’: To many, the main aim of posting anything on social media is not to win others over to your argument but merely to ‘trigger’ them (and then crow about it).
‘He/she blocked me ages ago’: In the same ballpark, blocking one-upmanship is a competitive sport among those with no discernible life beyond annoying other people in Elon Musk’s cesspit.
‘Gammon! Bigot! Racist! Snowflake!’ etc: Arbitrarily accuse your adversary of being some sort of ‘phobe’, or guilty of an ‘ism’ of your choosing. Either that or offering a lame and devalued insult, while still claiming to be the ‘nice’ person.
We probably have enough of these tired and banal cliches for an extensive bingo card, although it wouldn’t take more than two minutes to cross them all off. Still, I’m sure everyone will stop arguing once the election’s over, just like they have with Brexit...
‘The issues of the day are debated in reductive, insulting and self-important cliches’