Nangle Natters: To the max? Really?

Hyperbole – exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.”

There is too much hyperbole in my media streams. I mean, it’s literally going to make my brain explode. Did you see what I did there? I added my own hyperbole to the tirade that slips through, from social media, to Saturday night television, and on to the absolutes being decried about people in the news fringes with opposing views. He voted that?! He must be a racist and a fascist! None of which is very conducive to moving forward in the spirit of compromise and understanding and people not wanting to knock each others’ blocks off.

The first time it really came to my attention was a few years back when Simon Cowell proclaimed that he believed a thing “110 per cent”. You can’t do that. One hundred per cent is the full amount that you can believe anything and then it’s with a vitriolic fervour of a zealot. It’s nice that you think that your talent competition hopeful will have a promising career, and I’m not detracting from the fact that you have a full and expansive career in the music industry, Simon – but you just can’t believe in anything or anyone more that one hundred per cent. It’s nuts.

Having a couple of differences shouldn’t be lines drawn in the sand box

I’m sure it was around before then, it’s not like Saturday early evening telly is known as a place for trailblazers, but from then people have been “literally” going to pieces, talking in absolutes online, and generally preparing for all out war.

I am not “literally” going to pieces. I am “literally” in one piece, sitting on a chair and typing this. I do not believe that simply because a member of my family voted differently from the way I did during the referendum that I shouldn’t talk to them or that I have nothing in common with them. This isn’t high school where lines were drawn if you liked Take That instead of Westlife, Bros instead of Brother Beyond, The Beatles instead of The Stones. Having a couple of differences shouldn’t be lines drawn in the sand box. It’s why we go on holiday. Or has that not occurred to anyone? How can resolutions be found without engagement? And how can maths be taught without proper respect for one hundred per cent? Unless we’re talking about statistics of course…