Bryan Phifer
Rhetoric 101
Dr. Nicholas Nace
Oct. 2014

Cliché? We’ve got some of that: The prevailing language in politics and

Words obviously matter and when used properly they can have an extraordinary effect on the listener; however, some words and are extremely over used. These words that I am referring to are clichés. These clichés appear anywhere and everywhere, from our favorite television show to the grandiose stage that is the presidential political primary. I can assure you, by the way, that this paper is no different from the two in that it also is not without cliché. The unoriginal repetitive language that political candidates use to inspire and motivate is also found on much smaller scales in places such as Hampden-Sydney, Va. In this essay I will first address the term cliché, which will then be proceeded by the identification of cliché within in politics. Lastly, I will identify instances of cliché found here at Hampden-Sydney college then conclude the paper.

According to oxforddictionaries.com, a cliché is “a very predictable or unoriginal thing or person.” I think that it’s safe to say that this is also probably a good description of politicians and their campaign speeches. Campaigning politicians are a good example of the type of people who typically have speeches that are brimmed to the top with cliché. Politicians use what seems to be ambiguous clichéd language that appears so mesmerize the voter and give him or her a faux sense of hope or belief. Often accepted by onlookers with a standing ovation, this use of language ultimately appears to present itself as both unwavering and highly regarded. In Christopher Hitchens’ piece “WORDS MATTER” he said, “…”We Are the People We Are Waiting For” (in which case, one can only suppose that now we have arrived, we can all go home), I didn’t think much of it when Rep. Dennis Kucinich used it at an anti-war rally in 2004 (“We Are the People We Are Waiting For” being his version) or when Thomas Friedman came across it at an MIT student event last December. He wrote, by the way, just hearing it gave him--well, you guess what it gave him. Hope?” This, perhaps, excessively long quote embodies the language that is political cliché; however, some of the things that politicians say come across more as plagiarism than anything else. Honestly though, what else would expect from some of the most corrupt individuals in the nation?

This same language can be found elsewhere in our lives, just on a smaller scale and less ambiguous. Take Hampden-Sydney for example; a fine institution at which we’ve spent