When did "closure" become a necessity?

[stevenpensacola]

Trite, overused phrases really annoy me...(example..."my plate is so full right now"), and the one everyone seems to feel the need to use these days is "closure".

How ever did people manage years ago when something tragic happened, and they did not know that they needed "closure"?

I understand what is meant, but now it seems that everything must have "closure".....do you know what I'm sayin?....anybody with me on this?....


Frank Lingua, president and CEO of Dissembling Associates, is the nation's leading purveyor of buzzwords, catch phrases and cliches for people too busy to speak in plain English. Business Finance contributing editor Dan Danbom interviewed Lingua in his New York City office.

Danbom: Is being a cliche expert a full-time job?

Lingua: Bottom line is I have a full plate 24/7.

Danbom: Is it hard to keep up with the seemingly endless supply of cliches that spew from business?

Lingua: Some days, I don't have the bandwidth. It's like drinking from a fire hydrant.

Danbom: So it's difficult?

Lingua: Harder than nailing Jell-O to the wall.

Danbom: Where do most cliches come from?

Lingua: Stakeholders push the envelope until it's outside the box.

Danbom: How do you track them once they've been coined?

Lingua: It's like herding cats.

Danbom: Can you predict whether a phrase is going to become a cliche?

Lingua: Yes. I skate to where the puck's going to be. Because if you aren't the lead dog, you're not providing a customer-centric proactive solution.

Danbom: Give us a new buzzword that we'll be hearing ad nauseam.

Lingua: "Enronitis" could be a next-generation player.

Danbom: Do people understand your role as a cliche expert?

Lingua: No, they can't get their arms around it. But they aren't incented to.

Danbom: How do people know you're a cliche expert?

Lingua: I walk the walk and talk the talk.

Danbom: Did incomprehensibility come naturally to you?

Lingua: I wasn't wired that way, but it became mission-critical as I strategically focused on my go-forward plan.

Danbom: What did you do to develop this talent?

Lingua: It's not rocket science. It's not brain surgery. When you drill down to the granular level, it's just basic blocking and tackling.

Danbom: How do you know if you're successful in your work?

Lingua: At the end of the day, it's all about robust, world-class language solutions.

Danbom: How do you stay ahead of others in the buzzword industry?

Lingua: Net-net, my value proposition is based on maximizing synergies and being first to market with a leveraged, value-added deliverable. That's the opportunity space on a level playing field.

Danbom: Does everyone in business eventually devolve into the sort of mindless drivel you spout?

Lingua: If you walk like a duck and talk like a duck, you're a duck.
They all drink the Kool-Aid.

Danbom: Do you read "Dilbert" in the newspaper?

Lingua: My knowledge base is deselective of fiber media.

Danbom: Does that mean "no"?

Lingua: Negative.

Danbom: DOES THAT MEAN "NO"?

Lingua: Let's take your issues offline.

Danbom: NO, WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE MY "ISSUES" OFFLINE.

Lingua: You have a result-driven mind-set that isn't a strategic fit with my game plan.

Danbom: I WANT TO PUSH YOUR FACE IN.

Lingua: Your call is very important to me.

Danbom: How can you live with yourself?

Lingua: I eat my own dog food. My vision is to monetize scalable supply chains.

Danbom: When are you going to quit this?

Lingua: I may eventually exit the business to pursue other career opportunities.

Danbom: I hate you.

Lingua: Take it and run with it...

 

[Camicar]

Closure is a word we use today to describe what in the past was called "put a period on it," "know what really happened," etc. People always have had a need for that, it's just a new word for it.

 

[bsnyder]

Closure is a word we use today to describe what in the past was called "put a period on it," "know what really happened," etc. People always have had a need for that, it's just a new word for it.

Some people have a need for it. Some don't. The difference is that now we're told we all need it.

 

[AmazingGrace]

I think we've always needed closure, but in today's world, maybe we're more aware of it.
When I lost my dad in '90, it didn't feel real until I viewed him in the coffin. I guess you could say that was closure for me, before the word was widely used.

 

[DawnCt1]

Closure is a word we use today to describe what in the past was called "put a period on it," "know what really happened," etc. People always have had a need for that, it's just a new word for it.

I agree. Its one word to encompass a set of feelings. People always search to explain a sad event, look for justice, etc. Its not a knew phenomenon, just a different word. I think when we hear Beth Holloway says she "needs closure", there isn't one person here that doesn't know exactly what she means.

 

[Macca1111]

How ever did people manage years ago when something tragic happened, and they did not know that they needed "closure"?

They drank and smacked the wife around...or popped Vicadin and cried in closed rooms. To actually heal from an experience and move forward in a healthy way, you need to finish it somehow, even if you don't call it closure. Sorry that people are annoying you by telling you to heal yourself...

 

[RickinNYC]

Frank Lingua, president and CEO of Dissembling Associates, is the nation's leading purveyor of buzzwords, catch phrases and cliches for people too busy to speak in plain English. Business Finance contributing editor Dan Danbom interviewed Lingua in his New York City office.

Danbom: Is being a cliche expert a full-time job?

Lingua: Bottom line is I have a full plate 24/7.

Danbom: Is it hard to keep up with the seemingly endless supply of cliches that spew from business?

Lingua: Some days, I don't have the bandwidth. It's like drinking from a fire hydrant.

Danbom: So it's difficult?

Lingua: Harder than nailing Jell-O to the wall.

Danbom: Where do most cliches come from?

Lingua: Stakeholders push the envelope until it's outside the box.

Danbom: How do you track them once they've been coined?

Lingua: It's like herding cats.

Danbom: Can you predict whether a phrase is going to become a cliche?

Lingua: Yes. I skate to where the puck's going to be. Because if you aren't the lead dog, you're not providing a customer-centric proactive solution.

Danbom: Give us a new buzzword that we'll be hearing ad nauseam.

Lingua: "Enronitis" could be a next-generation player.

Danbom: Do people understand your role as a cliche expert?

Lingua: No, they can't get their arms around it. But they aren't incented to.

Danbom: How do people know you're a cliche expert?

Lingua: I walk the walk and talk the talk.

Danbom: Did incomprehensibility come naturally to you?

Lingua: I wasn't wired that way, but it became mission-critical as I strategically focused on my go-forward plan.

Danbom: What did you do to develop this talent?

Lingua: It's not rocket science. It's not brain surgery. When you drill down to the granular level, it's just basic blocking and tackling.

Danbom: How do you know if you're successful in your work?

Lingua: At the end of the day, it's all about robust, world-class language solutions.

Danbom: How do you stay ahead of others in the buzzword industry?

Lingua: Net-net, my value proposition is based on maximizing synergies and being first to market with a leveraged, value-added deliverable. That's the opportunity space on a level playing field.

Danbom: Does everyone in business eventually devolve into the sort of mindless drivel you spout?

Lingua: If you walk like a duck and talk like a duck, you're a duck.
They all drink the Kool-Aid.

Danbom: Do you read "Dilbert" in the newspaper?

Lingua: My knowledge base is deselective of fiber media.

Danbom: Does that mean "no"?

Lingua: Negative.

Danbom: DOES THAT MEAN "NO"?

Lingua: Let's take your issues offline.

Danbom: NO, WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE MY "ISSUES" OFFLINE.

Lingua: You have a result-driven mind-set that isn't a strategic fit with my game plan.

Danbom: I WANT TO PUSH YOUR FACE IN.

Lingua: Your call is very important to me.

Danbom: How can you live with yourself?

Lingua: I eat my own dog food. My vision is to monetize scalable supply chains.

Danbom: When are you going to quit this?

Lingua: I may eventually exit the business to pursue other career opportunities.

Danbom: I hate you.

Lingua: Take it and run with it...

ACK! I used to talk like that when I was a corporate guy ALL the time. Drove my friends crazy.

"Let's table this"
"face-time"

Blech.

 

[Robinrs]

If you lost a family member and never found her body and the perp was never captured, you'd understand the word "closure" like nobody's business.

 

[LaraK]

I think we may need to put this discussion on our Parking Lot list

 

[JR6ooo4]

They had closure "years ago".
It was Whiskey and Cigarettes.

Mikeeee

 

[teacups]

Some things I want closure on...
some things I want to stew on a while longer...

Who cares? And why do they care?

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

If you lost a family member and never found her body and the perp was never captured, you'd understand the word "closure" like nobody's business.

I think closure is very important to help people go on. I can't imagine what it's like to not find a loved ones body and still have the perp out there.

My friend who I met when I worked at WDW passed away last week. He was originally from around here. His family is having a service up here for him. I rearraged my day and took time off from both of my jobs to be able to go. I'm having a hard time dealing with his untimely death (he was only 27). I'm hoping that going to the service will provide the closure I need.

Me needing closure doesn't hurt anybody else, so why does it bother some people?

 

[stevenpensacola]

as stated in the OP, I understand what is meant by the term....just seems like people go out of their way to say "closure" these days....like they're being trendy....

like when you ask someone how they're doing..."oh, I've go so much on my plate.." ACK!!!! just talk like a normal person.

I say again...I know what is meant by the word, but using the "word" like it has magic power is annoying.....ooohhh...now I can have some closure....

I'm really a nice person.....

 

[Ride Junkie]

I don't get it sometimes either. I understand it for people in situations such as Natalee Holloway's mother. She wants closure because the not knowing eats away at them.

But in situations like a breakup, I think people are too hung up on closure. Before I was married, if a relationship I was in ended and I didn't know exactly why, I didn't bug the guy to get closure. I figured, he stopped calling & that's that. Whatever.

 

[N.Bailey]

While the term, closure may be a new choice of words that we use, I believe people always needed it. When you lose a loved one, you need a period of adjustment before you can move on. When you end a marriage, the same thing.

Closure to me is the realization that a major event has taken place on ones life that and you're not able to simply pick up the pieces and move on without time to adjust and/or mourn.

 

[Cool-Beans]

There was an episode of "Coach" where a guy told the coach that he felt their relationship needed closure.

Coach closed the door in his face.

 

[RitaZ.]

as stated in the OP, I understand what is meant by the term....just seems like people go out of their way to say "closure" these days....like they're being trendy....

like when you ask someone how they're doing..."oh, I've go so much on my plate.." ACK!!!! just talk like a normal person.

I say again...I know what is meant by the word, but using the "word" like it has magic power is annoying.....ooohhh...now I can have some closure....

I'm really a nice person.....

To me, closure is equivalent to acceptance. We all need it when we grieve. So, the word irritates you. I don't know, it sounds like you need closure on this issue.

 

[kpm76]

I'm not trying to puts words in the OPs mouth, but I don't think he was criticizing those that need time to heal from tragic situations etc, it's the fact that everyone runs around using the term closure. I get what he's saying. If you overuse the term suddenly it loses significance and becomes annoying. My personal favorite is what someone tells you to "step up to the plate." Ugh!!

 

[poohandwendy]

Need is a word that now seems to have seriously blurred edges.

I think people are convinced more things are needs than really are.

No one actually needs closure. The more we convince ourselves that we are missing out because we aren't getting what we think we 'need', the more neurotic people are going to become.

Has anyone noticed that people now are constantly talking about how busy they are as if they have more responsibilities than anyone ever did before them and each day is almost insurmountable. Business/scheduling is so emphasized that people are really convinced that they 'have too much on their plate' all of the time. As if 100 years ago people were just sitting around twiddling thumbs.

JMHO

 

[va32h]

Need is a word that now seems to have seriously blurred edges.

I think people are convinced more things are needs than really are.

No one actually needs closure. The more we convince ourselves that we are missing out because we aren't getting what we think we 'need', the more neurotic people are going to become.

JMHO

And people also have to start accepting that just because you want (or need) something doesn't mean you are going to get it.

When I was younger, I had a relationship that ended badly (my fault). After a few months I sought out my ex, because I felt I needed to talk to him to attain my "closure." Well he had moved on and he didn't want to talk to me. And you know - he had no obligation to. My "closure" was not his problem.

As for Natalee Holloway's mother - Natalee Holloway is not the only child who has ever gone missing. Millions of people go through life never knowing what happened to their loved ones. It's a terrible, terrible situation, but it's life. Natalee's mother may never know.