Massive
Or rather, the overuse of the word MASSIVE. For some strange reason, this word seems to have creeped into almost every area of public life. During the course of a normal day I hear it from my kids, from people that I work with, in the papers, on the radio and… multiple times on the TV (especially from News Reporters!).
The problem is, nothing anymore seems to be described as ‘big’, ‘large’, ‘huge’, ‘enormous’ or, any other similarly descriptive term. Instead, everything has to be ‘MASSIVE’, as though that will give added impetus or weight to whatever point someone is trying to make. And of course, ultimately, with the overuse of the word it has, or will, eventually diminish the sense of drama that comes with its use.
For example, the latest successful record for any well-known band or singer is always a ‘massive’ hit, despite the fact that it probably only sells a fraction of what many artists in the past might have sold! Which probably makes it ‘mildly successful’, although of course, that doesn’t quite sound as impressive. Anyway, as soon as they say the word ‘massive’, I immediately stop listening!
What do you think?
Mindless Throwaway Music
The over influence of bland, throwaway music. I know, I know. You’re probably thinking it’s just an age thing. Well, I don’t think so. I’d be the first to admit to the fact that there’s always been a lot of mediocre stuff around during times past but I don’t think it’s ever been as bad as it is just now. Besides, isn’t it time we had another music revolution to shake everything up again? Like punk music did in the seventies.
It’s not Cool!
People who say ‘cool’ all the time. It’s a stupid word to use and should have been banned years ago, unless of course, you’re talking about the art of refrigeration or describing a David Attenborough programme about penguins in the Antartic! I rest my case.
TV News
What is this obsession with illustrating news items by using special effects to make a simple ‘PowerPoint style’ graphic out of something that appears within the camera frame. Yesterday I sat dumbfounded as I watched a lunchtime news reporter who explained away the budget using random road signs around London. He even used simple up and down ‘street’ direction signs to report on the state of the economy. Have we really become so stupid we have to have everything explained to us like children using banal graphics and simple, complementative (?) dialogue? Come the revolution brother, come the revolution …
Right, now that I’ve got that off my chest here’s my ANGRY list . . (in no particular order).
- The overuse of the word ‘Entrepreneur’. Aghhh! (I’ve just bitten the inside of my cheek). …and the same goes for the word ‘Innovation’ (sometimes)
- Chewing Gum on Pavements
- Dog Poo on pavements
- Any program on TV that has ‘Celebrity’ in the title.
- Any program on TV that has ‘comedy’ in the title (it won’t be funny!)
- Hairdressers that ask you if you need some ‘Product’ on your hair. What the hell is Product anyway!
- Rubbish PowerPoint Presentations (which means most of them!)
- Those bloody insurance adverts with that dog thing called ‘Churchill’ on TV (Time for a cull?)
- And that stupid, gut bustingly awful 118 118 adverts (The main reason for getting rid of my TV (Something never regretted!)
