"Our thoughts at this time are with the family" & other such hollow platitudes

Rabidlamb · 06-03-2013 02:20PM #1

I see they rowed out the stock speech for Chavez this morning.
Doesn't matter who it is, we can do nothing as we're all stunned into silence contemplating the poor wife & chislers . . . . Are we f*ck !

It's up there with "all the agencies of the state will be put to work to help these poor people who've been made redundant", nothing words meaning nothing, pure filler material.

The PR folk managed to get "end of the day" & "going forward" bet out of the politicians.
They should knock this crap on the head aswell.

Crooked Jack · 06-03-2013 02:22PM

The one that always confuses me is when someone is killed and a neighbour goes on TV and almost always say "they were a quiet so and so, kept themselves to themselves."
No outgoing, obnoxious Irish person has ever been killed.
That must be why there is so many of them.

jaja321 · 06-03-2013 02:34PM

Rabidlamb wrote: »

I see they rowed out the stock speech for Chavez this morning.
Doesn't matter who it is, we can do nothing as we're all stunned into silence contemplating the poor wife & chislers . . . . Are we f*ck !

It's up there with "all the agencies of the state will be put to work to help these poor people who've been made redundant", nothing words meaning nothing, pure filler material.

The PR folk managed to get "end of the day" & "going forward" bet out of the politicians.
They should knock this crap on the head aswell.

Would you prefer people said 'we don't give a f*ck'?

Corvo · 06-03-2013 02:40PM

"You say it best when you say nothing at all"

The genius that is Ronan Keating

Lando Griffin · 06-03-2013 02:41PM

Heaven forbid that he didnt "play for the local GAA team"

GeorgeBailey · 06-03-2013 02:41PM

The "My thoughts and prayers are with the family" line is over-done on boards.ie too to the point where it's completely devoid of meaning. Just a stock phrase.

danslevent · 06-03-2013 02:43PM

I suppose its just an awkward reaction to a tragedy, what else are people supposed to say?

seamus · 06-03-2013 02:44PM

Rabidlamb wrote: »

I see they rowed out the stock speech for Chavez this morning.
Doesn't matter who it is, we can do nothing as we're all stunned into silence contemplating the poor wife & chislers . . . . Are we f*ck !

It's up there with "all the agencies of the state will be put to work to help these poor people who've been made redundant", nothing words meaning nothing, pure filler material.

The PR folk managed to get "end of the day" & "going forward" bet out of the politicians.
They should knock this crap on the head aswell.

Its cyclical. People want to know what <insert politician/celebrity> thinks of <insert any newsworthy item> so the media arrive at their door demanding that they make a statement. If they say nothing, they appear insensitive or uncaring, so they come up with shallow platitudes that make them appear like a nice person so when people read it, they think better of them.

And the cycle goes on. We have only ourselves to blame. We continually complain that only lies and meaningless words come out of politicians' mouths, but then we continually demand that they make statements.

Chocoholic84 · 06-03-2013 02:45PM

But whenever someone dies, my thoughts ARE with the family. It's a sad thing. Would you rather I lied?

JJJJNR · 06-03-2013 02:46PM

Its the joggers and dog walkers I feel sorry for, always finding dead people.

duchalla · 06-03-2013 02:53PM

People have to say something, its as good as anything to say.

Where To · 06-03-2013 02:56PM

He was a grand fella, but a bit of a cnut.

Akrasia · 06-03-2013 02:58PM

Chocoholic84 wrote: »

But whenever someone dies, my thoughts ARE with the family. It's a sad thing. Would you rather I lied?

Exactly.

I always feel sorry for the family and friends of the person who died. That's my natural reaction.

That is why it is a phrase commonly used when someone dies

No matter how hard you try, no words can truly comfort someone who has just lost a loved one, so the cliches are just as good as anything. When someone close to you dies, you feel alone. The response from the community is to try to re-assure the bereaved that they are not alone and to offer support.

It is galling when you hear someone who didn't know the person who died trying to give a personalised eulogy. That is why eulogys should only be given by people who were close to the deceased and not a politician or priest or random guy on the street, and let the politicians and priests stick to more general words of support.

ejmaztec · 06-03-2013 02:58PM

JJJJNR wrote: »

Its the joggers and dog walkers I feel sorry for, always finding dead people.

The murdering feckers :mad:

Robbo · 06-03-2013 02:58PM

JJJJNR wrote: »

Its the joggers and dog walkers I feel sorry for, always finding dead people.

Jog in the morning, you're going to find a dead body.

Jog at night, you're going to be the dead body.

Mr. Wong · 06-03-2013 02:59PM

"He was the life and soul of the party"

There can only be one!!

Rabidlamb · 06-03-2013 03:15PM

"He was known to Gardai" :rolleyes:

Did he play 5 a side with them on Wednesday nights ?
No, he was a piece of scum with 40 odd convictions, better off without.

Oh yeah "& our thoughts at this time are with his family", now Mickey Harte would like to say a few words about the lad.

fishy fishy · 06-03-2013 03:18PM

Griffin1988 wrote: »

"You shhhay it beshhhht when you shhhhhhay nothing at all"

The genius that is Ronan Keating

fyp

06-03-2013 03:37PM

Kept himself to himself, did a lot of work for charity and didn't like to talk about it...much, was god fearing and never had a bad word to say about anyone, heavily involved in the local GAA club in a 'close knit' community, had a very kindly smile.................loved his six Rottweilers, extremely fond of the 'gargle', had a tendency to mumble in Latin under his breath, very unkempt appearance and would sometimes walk down the main street at 4 in the morning bollock naked whilst repeating the phrase "Someone's gonna pay" in an aggressive tone, and yet.........he was A MURDERING AXE WIELDING MANIAC......... who would have thought.

castletownman · 06-03-2013 03:44PM

Lando Griffin wrote: »

Heaven forbid that he didnt "play for the local GAA team"

Well, what about when Shane Geoghan was murdered in a case of mistaken identity a few years ago? Every news report referred to him as "rugby player" as if he was some celebrity or played at the highest level.

The reason the GAA is mentioned as part of an obituary is because it is usually the focal point of the community, and as such anyone who is involved in it is generally going to be well-known in the area.

D1stant · 06-03-2013 03:48PM

9959 wrote: »

Kept himself to himself, did a lot of work for charity and didn't like to talk about it...much, was god fearing and never had a bad word to say about anyone, heavily involved in the local GAA club in a 'close knit' community, had a very kindly smile.................loved his six Rottweilers, extremely fond of the 'gargle', had a tendency to mumble in Latin under his breath, very unkempt appearance and would sometimes walk down the main street at 4 in the morning bollock naked whilst repeating the phrase "Someone's gonna pay" in an aggressive tone, and yet.........he was A MURDERING AXE WIELDING MANIAC......... who would have thought.

I can see a bright future ahead for you as Obituary Editor

Potential-Monke · 06-03-2013 04:06PM

I've no problem with someone saying it if they knew the friends/family, or were connected to them in some way (like worked in the same company but didn't directly know them), otherwise it's pointless imo. Personally doesn't bother me unless i know the person, and i have no idea who this Chavez guy is, so it doesn't bother me.

Agricola · 06-03-2013 04:19PM

On a similar vein, this kind of thing, particularly in local papers, winds me up.

"The hugely popular, outgoing, witty, sexually active young man, fell to his death while out campaigning against 3rd world hunger on his non C02 emitting bicycle. Patrick was heavily involved in the local GAA, Cricket, Badminton, Chess, and Water Polo clubs. He will be sorely missed by his legions of family, friends, facebook friends, and many casual aquaintances who will no doubt blockade the village on the day of his funeral"

Plazaman · 06-03-2013 04:27PM

Only caring and nice platitudes make the TV. "He rode me missus, I hated the fúcker and I'm glad he's dead" just makes the floor of the edit suite.

Rented Mule · 06-03-2013 04:28PM

Griffin1988 wrote: »

"You say it best when you say nothing at all"

The genius that is Ronan Keating

Yup ....and most other no talent kareoke singers.

The song was written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz and originally recorded by Keith Whitley in 1988.

Senna · 06-03-2013 04:38PM

Wont name the story, but "he was a gentle giant" used to describe a man who killed his wife (murder/suicide) and his two young children:rolleyes:.

I swear people feel the need to say something good about someone who has died, even when they know that person was nothing but a ****.

Cee-Jay-Cee · 06-03-2013 04:44PM

'He had a smile on his face for everyone'

Translated: he was a smart arse who liked to get the last word in.

'He was the life and soul of the party'

Translated: He was an arsehole who drank till he got drunk and would never be too far away when there was trouble.

'He kept himself to himself and never bothered anyone'

Translated: He was a weirdo and no one spoke to him as we were all a bit weary of him.

MidlandsM · 06-03-2013 04:47PM

RIP .totally over done.

06-03-2013 04:49PM

Agricola wrote: »

On a similar vein, this kind of thing, particularly in local papers, winds me up.

"The hugely popular, outgoing, witty, sexually active young man, fell to his death while out campaigning against 3rd world hunger on his non C02 emitting bicycle. Patrick was heavily involved in the local GAA, Cricket, Badminton, Chess, and Water Polo clubs. He will be sorely missed by his legions of family, friends, facebook friends, and many casual aquaintances who will no doubt blockade the village on the day of his funeral"

An avid 'facebook' user, some of his much trumpeted interests and hobbies were in fact nothing more than an imaginative wish list. He was, in reality, a hermit with a broadband connection, and will be sorely missed by no one.
None of his true friends were available for comment, because he didn't have any.
His mother disowned him, and his father still bears a grudge.

A great guy nonetheless!

Capt'n Midnight · 07-03-2013 03:05AM

Where To wrote: »

He was a grand fella, but a bit of a cnut.

you are supposed to say "he didn't suffer fools gladly"

If an obituary read, "He was a tireless raconteur, who gave colourful accounts of his exploits, but did not suffer fools gladly. An uncompromisingly direct ladies' man, he was affable and hospitable at every hour, but he did not uphold the highest ethical standards of the City" then you could tell the person who died was horrid. The terms used are all euphemisms. "Tireless raconteur" means "Crashing bore"; "Affable and hospitable at every hour" means "A drunk"; "Uncompromisingly direct ladies' man" means "Serial groper"; "Gave colourful accounts of his exploits" means "Liar"; "Did not uphold the highest ethical standards of the City" means "Fraudster"; and "Did not suffer fools gladly" means "Intolerant".
from QI

Ficheall · 07-03-2013 04:31AM

Rented Mule wrote: »

Yup ....and most other no talent kareoke singers.

The song was written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz and originally recorded by Keith Whitley in 1988.

Alison Krauss' version is lovely, though not, perhaps, one of her better songs...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SCOimBo5tg

"Our thoughts at this time are with the family" & other such hollow platitudes

Comments