You Didn’t Go Anywhere

The Overuse of the Word “Journey”

Explorer Ferdinand Magellan navigating through the waterway that bears his name

In recent years, people of all stripes and in all circumstances have become fond of using the word “journey” to describe situations in which they didn’t go anywhere. 

Open the newspaper, click on a video, read an article, listen to anyone saying anything anywhere about themselves, and chances are someone will refer to something in their life as a “journey.”  I first started to make note of this phenomenon when seemingly everyone who founded or ran a business told their story in similarly sweeping terms. “It’s been quite a journey,” they would all say. “My journey began when . . .”  This always seemed like a bit much, especially considering that their company was located in the same place the entire time.   

Just recently, it was reported that Mars, the corporate snack behemoth, bought Kellogg’s collection of snack brands (apparently called Kellanova) for $36 billion.  In the press release, the CEO said:

 “This is a truly historic combination with a compelling cultural and strategic fit. Kellanova has been on a transformation journey to become the world’s best snacking company, and this opportunity to join Mars enables us to accelerate the realization of our full potential and our vision.”

A transformation journey?  You make Cheez-Its and Pringles.  What the fuck are you talking about?

I’m not stupid.  I know it’s a metaphor.  I know I’m being a dick.  But I also know that if there’s one thing that defines this thing called life, it’s change.  Everything and everyone are in a constant state of flux.  We are all situated somewhere on a continuum between Point A and Point B every minute of every day.  If the word “journey” applies to every point along each of those lines, across multiple strands, it ceases to have any meaning whatsoever.  If every one of us is on a journey every day, then why would anyone care?  Why should anyone care?  

It is reasonable to suspect that the recent overuse of the word “journey” is intimately connected to the bald narcissism spawned and supported by the current digital media environment. In this world, everyone is the hero of their own drama.  It is no accident that virtually every time someone refers to a “journey,” they are speaking in the first person.  Chances are you’re never going to hear someone other than you refer to something in your life as a journey.  No offense. 

In the meantime, how about we stick to using the word journey for actual journeys.

You know who went on a journey?  Magellan.  That guy went on a journey.

You know who else went on a journey?  Neil Armstrong.  He went to the moon.  That’s a journey in my book. 

Speaking of books, Jules Verne wrote a famous novel called Journey to the Center of the Earth.  You know why he called it a journey?  Because they went to the center of the fucking Earth. 

You know who didn’t go on a journey?  99% of the people who talk about how they went on a journey.

I saw someone recently refer to their mental health journey.  They didn’t go on a journey.  They were in a psychiatric institution the whole time.   

People talk about their personal health journey.  They didn’t go on a journey.  They went on a diet.

And remember those people who work for the company where the CEO issues press releases about how they’ve all been on a transformation journey? Guess what?  They didn’t go on a transformation journey.  They went to work.

How about we all stop talking about how we’re on some kind of journey and just go back to work? 

Because maybe then, together, we’ll be able to get somewhere.