For a while it’s been on my mind, stewing. It comes from the circles I have been… circling. Not mixing in. That’s not what I do. Always on the periphery. That’s been my way. I understand why that is. I’ve been exploring and working on something different to do. It is though, deeply entrenched. I have my bearing.
I digressed. Back to the point. We see what we look at. Maybe not always, but I’ll go with the premise. I’ve been looking at personal blogs and Mastodon posts. A common thread runs through many (not all) of those that pass through my bias filter: hackneyed words, phrases, and ideas.
AI slop. I find it… distasteful, mucky, lazy. The term, that is. The irony in its arbitrary overuse as a catch‑all label for any and all LLM output seems not to have been noticed by the more vocal critics. Any hint at the persona of a discerning commentator of content is undermined by the use of the phrase. Surely finding something less clichéd is worth the effort, given the message being conveyed.
Authentic. Because following fashion is so very authentic, isn’t it?
Intentional. To act with intention requires a notable degree of thought and effort to inform subsequent and repeated actions. The word’s liberal use often signals that tribal following is the only intention being pursued.
Tribal. Finding your tribe. What happened to being inclusive? I have an inkling the use of the word is falling out of favour — “community” looks like it’s being appropriated as a more acceptable alternative.
The “old internet,” or any similar term to couch performative nostalgia in. The only person you’re fooling on this one is yourself — or the like‑minded and lazy. Make an effort to search up and find the thing you’re pretending to miss. It’s still there, albeit in more contemporary clothing. It’s still there in dated garb too, if that’s really your bag.
Performative. It has in it self become a covert performance. A disguised sneer. A not so subtle claim that the stance conveyed is the only “authentic” one in the room.
Agency. Another word that’s often being used in a way that demonstrates lack of. Personal accountability and effort too much of a risk for you?
The em dash. Just — stop. It’s punctuation, not a cause to be championed or vilified. I only started using it since doing so was called out. Personally speaking I’m more inclined towards… the ellipsis. More thoughtful, less brash, less… performative.