“This idea that . . . “
“A culture that . . . “
“The system that . . . “
These used to be the boogeymen I preached and taught against in church. I’m trying to rid my lessons and sermons of these phrases now, though, because I think they’re making me lazy. I want to address the ideas of the day in my work. I want to speak to the culture and take on systems, but I think doing so demands more specificity than these formulations.
What is the idea, exactly? Who said it?
How is the culture, specifically? Show some evidence.
Where is the system? Tell people where to look for it
Then, of course, tell them what to do about it.
“That” is a bugaboo for me, too. I try to use “This is” rather than “this is a comment that” — it’s faster, and once I reach the description, people follow me. (I follow you, too.) It’s like people who say “I would like to thank you for” X — I want to say “Then THANK ME!” Fewer words do seem clearer.