Stop Using These Three BullSh*t Platitudes

These three platitudes should be backhanded out of the English lexicon.

A Black woman hand signaling “Stop!” to insufferable platitudes. Photo credit: Dean Drobot via Shutterstock

Platitudes suck.

Sure, people may mean well when they use them, but this doesn’t negate the fact these blithe, superficial statements do not provide real comfort or, God forbid, prescribe any concrete, actionable steps to help ease the suffering, injustice, grief, and unpleasantness in the world.

Platitudes are just pat, convenient phrases people use to avoid facing a situation or issue making them uncomfortable.

Given the especially hellish past several years, my tolerance is nil for platitudes and the people who love them.

There are three egregious ones that make up such a premium brand of grade-A bullshit, they should be backhanded out of the common lexicon forever and ever.

When they go low, we go high.

This one was unearthed and shoved back into the national zeitgeist during Michelle Obama’s speech during the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

This platitude and its aliases “turn the other cheek,” “grin and bear it,” and “take the high road” have historically been used by the more privileged in society as a means to placate those on the lower end of…