Platitudes: Which Ones Make You Scream?

[AngelaMarie]

My parents actually gave me a book to read when I was about 13- "The Power of Positive Thinking" which is a book from the 50's. I glanced at it. I was mortified and humiliated because part of me believed them when they told me there was something 'wrong' with me.

I know what you are saying. There was one religion I saw that said it was my fault because I didn't have enough faith. What the heck? I felt like such a loser for a while. What a mind game!!!

 

[a3a2]

My parents actually gave me a book to read when I was about 13- "The Power of Positive Thinking" which is a book from the 50's. I glanced at it. I was mortified and humiliated because part of me believed them when they told me there was something 'wrong' with me. They seemed to love putting all the blame on me. Hmm, perhaps if home life were a bit more stable and less violent I wouldn't be so depressed?

They were clueless.

Ar-r-g-g-g! My father is/was really into this! We would have Zig Ziggler devotions at 4:30 a.m. In the book, the auther would tell us how when his alarm went off in the morning, he would sit up, look in the mirror and clap his hands, and we should do the same. Positive mental attitude. I wonder how you have a positive attitude when you are being beaten with a belt by someone 5 times your size.

 

[ms spock]

That was very, very uncool of them.

And it was unprofessional too, in front of the whole class as well.

I am going on a field trip that he is organising for 20 days. I have decided to avoid him as much as possible.
This time next week I will be there but I am so nervous already. I am quite disassociated about it.

:-(
ms spock

 

[anni]

There has to be some pompous, buttoned down reason this person has of his own which requires him to feel good by attempting to cut someone out of the proverbial herd, you know? It's an unfortunate 'type' to head any class. Please do know I am sure others must view this as ridiculous also, and you're no doubt not as alone as you must think. Unless there's an entire class full of exact duplicates of this person, he'll start picking elsewhere also. There's bound to be others avoiding this smug man, so maybe all of you will end of having at least an education field trip. I do hope so.

I actually heard " What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger", with a straight face. Geesh. They meant it, too. I wanted to say "WHO doesn't kill us the first 5 times they try makes us run to the nearest safe house until the court system forces us to go give them visitation". I didn't say that, just got another migraine.

 

[KP the nut]

My Hs boss said this to him after chatting to me in the car park.

'But she looks OK'

 

[Tracey081]

These are all so good! But one that gets me, though I'm not sure it's a 'platitude' so much as a 'rule', is
"Always use an I-statement".

Like, instead of saying "You really pissed me off", I'm supposed to say, "I felt pissed off when [this behavior] came from [your ass]." (Because you can't say anything bad about a person; only about a person's behavior).

 

[txtrace]

My favourite.

'You survived, you are lucky to be alive'

Good grief, I HATE this one. I feel like screaming every time I hear it (which is constantly).

 

[Venator]

The only one that really grinds my gears is the "You could be worse off" type of thing.

My roommate in college this past year said to me "Just get over it. He can't hurt you anymore. Why do you keep living in the past, just f*cking get over it?"

Excuse me? He is still hurting me. His scars still burn. It's like a freaking phantom limb called PTSD.

And nobody will ever understand it unless they've been there. Period.

 

[ms spock]

There has to be some pompous, buttoned down reason this person has of his own which requires him to feel good by attempting to cut someone out of the proverbial herd, you know? It's an unfortunate 'type' to head any class. Please do know I am sure others must view this as ridiculous also, and you're no doubt not as alone as you must think. Unless there's an entire class full of exact duplicates of this person, he'll start picking elsewhere also. There's bound to be others avoiding this smug man, so maybe all of you will end of having at least an education field trip. I do hope so.

Well it is unanimous which person will be eaten first if cannibalism is required! ;-D

 

[anni]

Hahaha! Ms. Spock, you just reminded me of this program we just watched, too! Someone brought in a shrunken head to an 'Oddities' shop and wanted to know about it. It transpired it was real, but produced for the 'tourist' market! Well, doesn't that beg the question that there was a tourist market for shrunken heads in the first place, and which on earth villager got the willies when everyone started to look at them funny in the second place? Kind of fascinated me- but at least you folks have your next export all picked out. :)

 

[blwnawy]

You look alright to me.

 

[Kim]

The famous "don't dwell on it". This is what my mother used to tell me. My mother being my emotional abuser.

"You have to learn to not let things bother you." Is what I keep hearing from a well meaning friend of mine. Every time I hear it I want to punch her.

The one I keep hearing from relatives is "She did the best she could." This comes from relatives who feel that I should crawl back to my mother begging forgiveness for the sin of walking away from her 22 years ago and allow her back in my life again. They're also the ones who say "have a nice life" when I tell them I wont. This one really sets me off. She did the best she could? What at emotionally abusing me? Why am I the only one of the kids in the family that has C-PTSD then? WTF?!!!!