Just your average JPII Catholic! Blogging since 2011.
Monday, June 15, 2026
One Word That Makes Me Shun Any Video, Blog Post, etc. (When it's the First Word in the Title.)
"How..."
Especially when the word doesn't really apply and it's just an attemptedly cute appeal to self-improvement. ("How C.S. Lewis changed my life", that kind of thing.)
My bugbear is ‘and why it’s not what you think’ and its variants in headlines. The arrogance of it! As if a) they know what I think and b) they obviously have a more informed view than I do regardless.
This is the video that sparked me off. I was looking for videos about John Paul II and I get a video from this guy-- who I'm sure is a lovely guy-- who wants to tell me how John Paul II helped him to be a better man, and who literally has a finger-wagging picture in the thumbnail (probably ironic or something-- I don't care).
To go around talking about how you've become a better man seems quite arrogant already!
Surely “How to crochet” gets a pass, though, right?
I’m highly amused (but will never click) by the ad formula “[such and such profession members] HATE him” and “She ate this, now she can’t stop losing weight”, both variants of the “one weird trick” formula. The weight loss one I always use as a jumping off point to write a remake of Thinner. How did that piece of exotic fruit acquire a gypsy curse, anyway? Inquiring minds want to know!
My bugbear is ‘and why it’s not what you think’ and its variants in headlines. The arrogance of it! As if a) they know what I think and b) they obviously have a more informed view than I do regardless.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's the arrogance that gets me.
DeleteThis is the video that sparked me off. I was looking for videos about John Paul II and I get a video from this guy-- who I'm sure is a lovely guy-- who wants to tell me how John Paul II helped him to be a better man, and who literally has a finger-wagging picture in the thumbnail (probably ironic or something-- I don't care).
To go around talking about how you've become a better man seems quite arrogant already!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=240s7L_X-sc
Guilty -- but only twice in the past two years.
ReplyDeletehttps://narrowdesert.blogspot.com/2025/11/how-did-i-end-up-in-sync-stream-anyway.html
https://narrowdesert.blogspot.com/2024/05/how-is-armadillo-like-griffon-vulture.html
Three hail Mary's and four Our Father's!!
DeleteSurely “How to crochet” gets a pass, though, right?
ReplyDeleteI’m highly amused (but will never click) by the ad formula “[such and such profession members] HATE him” and “She ate this, now she can’t stop losing weight”, both variants of the “one weird trick” formula. The weight loss one I always use as a jumping off point to write a remake of Thinner. How did that piece of exotic fruit acquire a gypsy curse, anyway? Inquiring minds want to know!
Or "How to tie a Windsor knot" or something like that. Sure. I thought about making this exception, but I was frightened it would sound pedantic!
DeleteI haven't read or seen Thinner, though I do like Stephen King.