There is a word people use all the time as filler in their speech. I first noticed it about 8 years ago and thought it was a quirk of my local progressive scene. (This is similar to someone hating “like” although I think my word is less common than that.) It has metastasized and is now popping up all over. I want to listen to podcasts where smart people talk about policy and cultural issues but sometimes I just shut them off because the word is driving me up the wall. I feel like I’m not old enough to hate a word used by young people but unfortunately I do.I don’t want to miss out on people’s wisdom (delivered for free via podcast or radio) over a silly word! Do you have any ideas for not caring about this anymore?
My idea: think of a treat - something you absolutely, genuinely enjoy, but aren't "allowed" to indulge in as much as as you'd like.
Every time you hear the filler word, you're allowed one (1) treat.
The challenge with filler words is you'd have to pick a small enough treat. (For example, I'd normally choose a glass of wine as the treat, but with filler words you'd be passed out after one conversation!)
My immediate ideas:
- one jellybean
- one minute of additional fanfic reading
- remove one minute from your next workout
The rewards could be bankable, so you can save up minutes and skip your whole workout one day, for example. Adjust to your own realities and temperament.
The ultimate goal is to create a situation where your visceral reaction to this filler word becomes "YAY, a treat!"
1 comment:
What is this word?!
Filler words that suddenly become part of everyone's speech drive me crazy, too. But I wonder what this person is referring to.
I'm also really interested if it would be possible to set up an reward association like this. If they were bankable it might not work.
Post a Comment