Excellent. Have often had similar thoughts. Do you think people misuse the word journey because their lives are in fact so static? Nah, it’s just a stupid fad…
Thank you! And you’re right. It’s not even misuse. It’s overuse. In isolation, when people use the word “journey,” it’s fine. The issue is that the metaphor is so ubiquitous, the world should eventually turn against it. But that presupposes that people are actually listening to other people.
It’s just a metaphor. It stems from the platitude “it’s not about the destination but the journey,” which like most platitudes has truth to it. But I did like this piece bc there’s truth in it, too. “Journey” is overused
Journey is a word used by organizations that feel they need to do a thing, but can’t agree on what the outcome looks like. A business claims its “on a digital technology journey” or a “DEI journey” because it does not have the capacity (for whatever reason) to state concrete success conditions. Journey allows you to change directions every 6 months. Journey allows for yet another “major strategic overhaul” of something, without ever having to address what was wrong with the previous strategy or why the new one will finally reach the end point goals.
Journey, it’s how you spend millions of dollars and hours to go nowhere.
This was an incredibly cathartic read. I've always had a nitpicky hatred when I'd see media described with "navigates." Such as "navigates their relationship" "navigates their 20's". Yuck.
Echoes of Carlin here
Excellent. Have often had similar thoughts. Do you think people misuse the word journey because their lives are in fact so static? Nah, it’s just a stupid fad…
Thank you! And you’re right. It’s not even misuse. It’s overuse. In isolation, when people use the word “journey,” it’s fine. The issue is that the metaphor is so ubiquitous, the world should eventually turn against it. But that presupposes that people are actually listening to other people.
It’s just a metaphor. It stems from the platitude “it’s not about the destination but the journey,” which like most platitudes has truth to it. But I did like this piece bc there’s truth in it, too. “Journey” is overused
Haha this was a funny read for a slow Monday morning! Good post!
Bravo! Bravo!
Journey is a word used by organizations that feel they need to do a thing, but can’t agree on what the outcome looks like. A business claims its “on a digital technology journey” or a “DEI journey” because it does not have the capacity (for whatever reason) to state concrete success conditions. Journey allows you to change directions every 6 months. Journey allows for yet another “major strategic overhaul” of something, without ever having to address what was wrong with the previous strategy or why the new one will finally reach the end point goals.
Journey, it’s how you spend millions of dollars and hours to go nowhere.
This was an incredibly cathartic read. I've always had a nitpicky hatred when I'd see media described with "navigates." Such as "navigates their relationship" "navigates their 20's". Yuck.