this post was submitted on 27 May 2025
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Today I Learned

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I never realized there was a term to describe the low-effort phrases that people often use to get other people to shut up.

A thought-terminating cliché (also known as a semantic stop-sign, a thought-stopper, bumper sticker logic, or cliché thinking) is a form of loaded language—often passing as folk wisdom—intended to end an argument and quell cognitive dissonance with a cliché rather than a point.[1][2] Some such clichés are not inherently terminating, and only becomes so when used to intentionally dismiss, dissent, or justify fallacies.[3]

The term was popularized by Robert Jay Lifton in his 1961 book Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism, who referred to the use of the cliché, along with "loading the language", as "the language of non-thought".[4]

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[–] u_u@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 6 days ago

Interesting, I just read about it from Talos 2.

[–] Sixtyforce@sh.itjust.works 2 points 6 days ago

The cousin of thought terminating labels. Usually applied to other humans.

[–] 200ok@lemmy.world 148 points 1 week ago (11 children)
[–] JackFrostNCola@aussie.zone 4 points 6 days ago

I use this one myself, but only as a statement of a fact that i cant change, not to just dismiss thing us dint want to deal with.

For example: a co-worker complaining about something going wrong on a project and at some point i have to say 'it is what it is' (or something of similar effect) and say that as much as that sucks, its out of our control and we need to deal with finding a solution because bitching aint gunna make the problem un-fuck itself.

[–] Empricorn@feddit.nl 2 points 6 days ago

Way she goes.

[–] 667@lemmy.radio 83 points 1 week ago (5 children)
[–] NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 49 points 1 week ago

I hate you for putting this poison out into the land.

[–] pruwybn@discuss.tchncs.de 18 points 1 week ago (3 children)
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[–] spankmonkey@lemmy.world 45 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Things always happen for a reason.

[–] Diplomjodler3@lemmy.world 26 points 1 week ago (10 children)
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[–] cabron_offsets@lemmy.world 118 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] Ep1cFac3pa1m@lemmy.world 53 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] Lightor@lemmy.world 18 points 1 week ago (3 children)
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[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 92 points 1 week ago (3 children)

You'll change your mind you are older.

Been hearing that one for over 15 years and it hasn't gotten any less wrong.

[–] cornshark@lemmy.world 33 points 1 week ago

The cliche probably seems pretty wrong now, but you'll change your mind when you're older

[–] zqps@sh.itjust.works 27 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (5 children)

Used to get this all the time for over 10 years from a relative only 3 years older than me. We don't talk anymore.

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[–] roofuskit@lemmy.world 79 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (7 children)

So it goes. C'est la Vie (Such is life).

[–] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 21 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

没办法 (méi bànfǎ) - roughly translated means "Nothing can be done to change it".

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[–] Vathsade@lemmy.ca 62 points 1 week ago
[–] tgpe@lemmy.today 57 points 1 week ago (1 children)
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[–] Venus_Ziegenfalle@feddit.org 54 points 1 week ago

Damn that's crazy

[–] decended_being@midwest.social 43 points 1 week ago (3 children)
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[–] MushuChupacabra@lemmy.world 42 points 1 week ago (1 children)
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[–] ParadoxSeahorse@lemmy.world 41 points 1 week ago

Agree to disagree

[–] jerkface@lemmy.ca 40 points 1 week ago

What can you do.

[–] misteloct@lemmy.dbzer0.com 39 points 1 week ago (3 children)
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[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 38 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Personal favorite: "Just shut up, man."

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[–] qevlarr@lemmy.world 36 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (10 children)

Here's an example: "Israel has a right to defend itself"

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[–] stringere@sh.itjust.works 32 points 1 week ago

Bless your heart.

[–] Godric@lemmy.world 27 points 1 week ago (3 children)

"Let people enjoy things." – purports that criticisms to consumable media are attempts to prevent consumers from enjoying said media.

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[–] jagged_circle@feddit.nl 26 points 1 week ago

That's just, like, your opinion, man.

[–] BenLeMan@lemmy.world 26 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Let's not forget the grand daddy of them all: The Lord works in mysterious ways.

Somewhat apropos I recommend watching Adam Curtis' take on what he calls Oh Dearism:

https://thoughtmaybe.com/oh-dearism/

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[–] lobut@lemmy.ca 24 points 1 week ago (3 children)
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[–] Underwaterbob@lemm.ee 21 points 1 week ago

That's nice.

[–] chooglers@midwest.social 19 points 1 week ago (1 children)
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