Whether it's an idea, type of vernacular, stereotype new technology, genre of music, television or fashion statement, every decade embodies something distinct that defines it in time. What might be a token of nostalgia for one person might be overrated and over-hyped for another - in other words, it's cliche.
Jason Vanhoose of Youngstown said he is tired of northeastern Ohio being labeled as "The Rust Belt." This term applied to steel production empires such as Youngstown and Steubenville all the way to Pittsburgh and Erie, Pa. The term "Rust Belt" was coined when these steel plants were shut down.
"I dislike the term 'Rust Belt' because it's inaccurate and generic. For one thing, Youngstown and its surrounding areas are no longer the 'Rust Belt' because we no longer have decaying factories. We have active industries in Youngstown today," Vanhoose said.
Kevin Faucette of Youngstown dislikes the term "multitasking."
"I don't like the term 'multitasking' because you are doing two things at 50 percent instead of giving one activity your 100-percent undivided attention," Faucette said.
Many sayings have been commonplace in our culture. Some of them add zing to our everyday speech, while some may seem overused.
"I do not like the phrase, 'The early bird gets the worm,' I like the phrase, 'The second mouse gets the cheese,'" said Ralph Rich of Hubbard.
Dave Hartman of Girard believes the popular saying, "Slow and steady wins the race" is a cliche.
"I don't think that is true at all. If somebody has way more dedication than you, they will come hot out of the gates and you will not be able to catch up to them," Hartman said.
Patience is a virtue in our culture, but with the fast pace of life in general, it might not be a popular choice. Ted Lehr, of Akron, dislikes the common saying, "Good things happen to those who wait." Lehr believes this expression is a cliche.
"I particularly dislike the cliche, 'good things happen to those who wait, because the best things that have ever happened to me are a result of me doing, asking or thinking, but waiting no," Lehr said.
Logan Peachock of Liberty believes the trendy acronym "Yolo," which stands for "you only live once," is a cliche.
"I can't stand the word 'Yolo.' My problem is that there are already words for this such as 'carpe diem,' which in Latin means, 'seize the day,'" Peachock said.
When one is walking down the street and making eye contact it's only natural to say "Hello, how are you?" That person will usually respond by saying "good." The question is, are they really having a good day? Karin Worrell of Struthers believes the phrase, "How are you?" is a cliche.
"I don't like when people say 'how are you?' It's the most common thing. It's so programmed in our brains, that we feel we have to say 'How are you?' or 'I'm good' even if we are having a bad day. It's like a robot," Worrell said.
It seems as though there is a widespread tendency to supersize hyperboles inside our conversations. Victoria Vanhoose, of West Middlesex, Pa., believes the word "epic" is among these types of terms.
"I don't like the word, 'epic' because it's overused and people don't use it in the right context. People will say, 'tonight is going to be epic' or 'this concert is going to be epic.' Some things really have to blow my mind to be epic. Epic is a once-in-a lifetime event. Kids today don't get it," Vanhoose said.