If you listen to a tv sound byte long enough, you may catch the impulse to bear its repeating. Hear it once, hear it again, maybe on one show and then another - it could find its way into conversation when a commentary is required. It will fit in that space nicely as a convincing admonishment. The nodding head across from you affirms this, as you both sip lattes and feel connected in the familiarity of tv talk banter.
I've used a few quotes myself and often on repeat.
How many times have I heard myself say "make it work" when up against a challenge (thank you Tim Gunn of Project Runway for your memorable Gunnisms).
It's those catch phrases that seem to stick.
The charm is in how they sum up shared global experiences - like moments when losing a competition, overcoming a life setback or making a name for oneself - the stuff integral to reality tv show scripting.
Can't think of any? Here's a few you may recognize...
Everything happens for a reason - A better version of myself - This is not the last you've seen of me - I haven't found my person
These examples of tv talk have crept into daily speak as if they've always been there. We forget that it's an emerging venacular voiced in media culture, one that thrives on target audience appeal.
Albeit catchy, upon closer inspection, tv talk is rudimentary and less wise than it sounds. Sure, the words string together and roll off the tongue easily, somewhat like poetry. Are the words making sense?
For example, say "be a better version of myself" a few times, over and over. Place emphasis on version, not myself.
This modern mantra is everywhere. Ir gives us all the grace and hope that we can do better and "that's a good thing" as Martha Stewart used to say.
Have you noticed that this catchy sound bite is always declared after a faux paux or a mistep? Maybe the individual spoke out of haste but he/she/they have to let you know that it wasn't really in character to have said it. It's not them anymore because they are becoming a better version of themselves!
Versions are interesting. They seem to transport us to an expected transformation, and cut us off from past versions of ourselves. Whether new or improved,, something is still very much "you" inside the rework.
We travel through life taking our core selves along for the ride. All the bumps, hills and valleys we experience are there to bring out your best. If we avoid these undulations, we might skip down the road not equipped for what's coming around the corner.
The push to be a better version is leaping to the end of the line, without processing how we even got there. We should all be so kind as to acknowledge our original selves who've always been there, and will continue to be, even through our chosen affectations, assimilations and alterations. But maybe it's human nature to jump ahead of ourselves for want of more. How easy to just turn the channel when we don't like what we see in ourselves.
My commentary here may seem a bit trite - like a loud salesman blaring nonsense at commercial time. I feel I might even be interrupting your show!
You could think of this blog article as a message from a sponsor, not necessarily the opinion of the bigger network. You, as a consumer of media messaging, would be much the wiser to consider the full buy in of what you hear and repeat.
A good practice is discerning why we use and accept certain colloquisms from the shows we watch. Then maybe we ca hin rebrand or repurpose and still be our authentic selves.
And why say it if we don't know what we're saying?
It's just tv talk.
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