My dad, JC, is an impressionable man. He gets enamored with people who he feels are successful or better off than he is. He’s also easily persuaded by sales people who have the “next big thing”. This leads him down different life excursions and hard to justify expenses. I only mention this because he’s been using the phrase “the idea of” the last few days and I’m certain he picked it up from someone. Where? I do not know, but I do have some thoughts on the phrase.
As human beings, it’s easy for us to fall into verbal loops. This is when we use the same phrasing for a period of time until we get sick of it. I imagine we do this subconsciously, but I listen for it relatively closely. The reason most people don’t pick up on it is because most people don’t listen at all. This one phrase though, “it’s the idea of”, has been looming its head around my life and I hear it all the time. I think it makes the person feel / look/ think they are smart.
I like the ring of it, no doubt. When you are trying to explain a point, think about how professor like and broad sounding “it’s the idea of” starts. It’s a great setup for the next line. It’s the idea of taking a shit while not having to touch my phone with bathroom fingers. It’s the idea of eating Doritos without getting nacho cheese all over the tips. You get the point. I have a lot of thoughts about my fingers.
Next time you’re at work, see how often you hear “the idea of”. The fuck am I talking about? Too long of a post to delete it.
I notice this with people all the time, especially at work. Here are the phrases our office has used most often lately:
100% – “Yes, absolutely, we agree 100%.”
Perfect – “This is perfect!” or flat out “PERFECT.”
Kinda/kind of – “We just kinda wanted to show you how great it would look if…” This one is the worst and least professional. Definitely cringeworthy, although you could argue it makes us sound more conversational/relatable.
I often hear (and am guilty of) – “I feel like…” as a preface to my thoughts. “In the notion of”…
“The idea of” makes me think of someone who cannot actually explain the idea, so must use some comparable.
Perhaps this lexicon comes into play more often in sales, where there may be more play in the expectations of the parties. The questions I face most days are fairly definitive: “Is it plumb?” “What is the measurement?” “Is the wire hot?”