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Why Hearing ‘These Unprecedented Times’ All the Time Is So Freaking Annoying Right Now
We’re all in the middle of a global pandemic, so please stop pretending like you aren’t
We’ve all heard them:
“…these unprecedented times…”
“…times like these…”
“…these difficult times…”
“…these trying times…”
And we all know what “these times” is referring to.
Now.
They’re all talking about right now, the coronavirus, the global pandemic, COVID-19.
A word about euphemisms ‘like these’
Euphemisms are what you use when you’re trying to be gentle with someone. They’re a way of conveying sympathy from a respectful distance, and they’re wonderful in certain circumstances, like if someone passes away.
“How are you holding up? I know these are trying times for you right now.”
But here’s the thing: they’re usually used by people on the outside of the “trying times.”
If you lose someone close to you, it’s expected that you will use the word “death” or “died.” You’re allowed, because you’re the one going through it. You…
