The Four Most Meaningless Words in the English Language

by 

As a consumer, I’ve quickly grown tired of hearing these four words.  Perhaps you have too.

What are they?

Here’s a hint:  They were thrust upon us by the social media crowd…specifically Facebook.

The idea for the headline comes from something originally said by the legendary investor Sir John Templeton.

Discussing the economy and the financial markets, Templeton commented that the four most expensive words in the English language are “It’s different this time.”

This four-word statement is extremely applicable today as we witness the second housing bubble being inflated.  Journalists, bloggers, and online pundits are quick to point out that “it’s different this time.”

The last housing bubble was caused by banks making loans to unqualified borrowers.  This isn’t happening today.  “It’s different this time.”  So does this mean there won’t be a second housing bubble?  We’ll see.

The other day while listening to the radio in my truck, I heard the voice-over in a marketing message urging listeners to “Like us on Facebook.”

Wow, I thought to myself.

Those have to be the four most overused, meaningless words in the English language today.

Why should I, or anyone else, go online simply to “like” the advertiser in question?

What’s in it for me?

continue reading »