this post was submitted on 22 Feb 2026
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Unpopular Opinion

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Complaining about headlines using "X blasts/slams Y" gives boomer. (lemmy.world)
submitted 3 days ago by inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world to c/unpopularopinion@lemmy.world
29 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

That's just how the news operates now. I get why people dislike it but y'all just sound out of touch.

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[–] FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 17 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

y’all just sound out of touch

It's not out of touch to disagree with how the news does things - I don't think anyone fully aligns with how news media operates.

There exist valid alternative words like "criticises" "scolds" "blames" instead, and using "BOOMs" and "SLAMS" and "BLASTS" is by definition sensationalist - i.e it manipulates the reader into an emotional reaction to sell the newspaper.

"This is justified," i hear you say, "because newspapers exist to be sold" - but nay, it is not justified, because reporters also must operate with a social conscience!

A newspaper using trashy trigger words like Blast and Slam is literary pollution - reading these words over and over again shifts the way language is used, and we move away from our more precise and varied vocabulary with words such as "criticise" and "blame." This is making readers more stupid.

Journalists are supposed to champion the written word, not shit all over it. I worry about how this lingo will affect our future generations as well as the ones living here now.

[–] Scipitie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 22 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Yes, this is an unpopular opinion - and at least for me not for the reason you seem to think!

"that's the way the world is" has way more "boomer vibe" than you can imagine. Even if you add "now". Why should I give up just because things go to shit? Why should I retire into acceptance and ignorance?

Your acceptance is surrender, your annoyance a sign that a party of you knows that.

[–] inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world -1 points 2 days ago (2 children)

retire into acceptance

Like honestly, don't you think you're being dramatic here?

Language changes. Headline trends will shift again and will be mocked in the same way every decade gets mocked.

[–] Sunsofold@lemmings.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Using the argument of 'that's just how reality is,' about anything in culture is always dumb for the exact same reason you are using to support it. Culture can shift. People who care about the harm want culture to shift away from 'the way it is' to something better.

People who complain about manipulative headlines aren't complaining because manipulative headlines didn't happen 'back in their day.' They are complaining because they are manipulative and harmful now, just as they were back then. Bad things don't become not bad by being common.

[–] inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Sure, I'm not seeing anything I disagree with. I guess I just feel like it's a low effort "grandpa yelling at the sky" sort of thing. I agree these headlines and deserve to be criticized, but specifically I'm talking the one word comments saying "SLAMMED" cause the headline did. Super common. They don't read to be me as criticizing so much as just... complaining?

Idk, that's just my (moderately) unpopular opinion.

[–] Scipitie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Oh yeah I - at least in part I wanted to go over the top as reply to the "so boomer" phrasing :)

But honestly, I think I see where you're coming from. My concern is that it's not a change in language but a shift from information to emotion: And there is genuinely something to keep an eye on: Do my news inform me or engage me?

No matter if Epstein, AI, Ukraine, etc - it's becoming harder and harder for me to create an opinion on my own because more and more of my information channels tell me how I should feel instead of what's going on. I'd rather find that out on my own though.

It's an interesting thought for me though because I can easily rationalize my opposition against this shift - but it's also rooted in my emotional reaction to emotion-bait which is ... ironic I feel!

[–] one_old_coder@piefed.social 14 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Writing proper English sentences without clickbait is boomer now?

That user SLAMS this generation, click here to find why!

[–] inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world 0 points 2 days ago

Explain proper. Those words convey meaning, I as a reader understands x SLAMMED y, means there was a negative reaction by x to y, and that was what the writer intended.

Idk, isn't that is how language is supposed to work?

[–] OneWomanCreamTeam@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago

Ok boomer.

[–] remon@ani.social 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Complaining about headlines using "X blasts/slams Y" gives boomer.

There is a period at the end, yet the sentence seems unfinished.

[–] loaf@sh.itjust.works 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

As a Gen X, idgaf. I just want to be a loser and destroy capitalism. And smoke weed.

[–] inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Both nessecary and reasonible. I bless your noble aspirations.

[–] mr_anny@sopuli.xyz 9 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Zoomer slams boomer about headline complaint

[–] inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Millennial, but yup. I'm doing a big Ole SLAM, DESTORYS, and SHREDS on anyone who don't like it.

[–] mr_anny@sopuli.xyz 4 points 2 days ago

Aaargh, I'm burning. Please make it stop.

[–] Lysergid@lemmy.ml 8 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Okay zoomer

[–] inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Awwww, I'm being perceived as younger than I am. I'm old enough to treasure these moments.

Ty. Very kind.

[–] ComfortableRaspberry@feddit.org 7 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Telling people to accept bad things, just because they exist, is indeed very unpopular opinion in my book :D

[–] inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world 0 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Idk, bad things? Is it really?

Like roll back a hundred - ish years and all English news was jolly gee and phony transatlantic accent. Even when the news itself was serious, the style sounds goofy today.

Culture shifts, but that change isn't inherently a bad thing. Why is this style bad*?

[–] ComfortableRaspberry@feddit.org 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Idk, bad things? Is it really?

Yes, because it's not only a different way to phrase things but a way to change how the reader sees things. It also blows things out of proportion which again is a tool to influence the readers opinion. Media has become more manipulative and that has nothing to do with culture.

[–] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

So your point is that the language is changing, and "slams" (and such) now means any public commentary?

Yes, I can see that. My problem is that it's vague.

Random person politely disagrees? Slams. Shouting match on the Congress floor? Slams. Some celebrity writes a book about an unrelated topic and just wants to get views? Slams.

Its overuse has made it meaningless.

I should write a plugin that changes "slams" to "comments on". That'd make everyone happy again.

[–] Iconoclast@feddit.uk 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

You could apply that same logic to everything and never complain ever again.

[–] inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world -1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Not seeing a downside, I look forward to being proclaimed the logic messiah, move over Pythagoras and Jesus.

Anyone wanna join my cult?

[–] Iconoclast@feddit.uk 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The downside is that it enables you to ignore every real problem in the world by just telling yourself that it is what it is. It might be good for your own sanity on the short run but it's bad for everyone on the long run.

[–] inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world -2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Idk, my country is falling deeper into fascism and my personal rights have been deeply restricted. As have countless others, several losing their lives quite recently. No real end in sight.

I ain't saying we ignore the world, but focusing on the words is missing the forest for the tree.

[–] monsieur_hackerman@programming.dev 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I think words can be powerful, and truth can still have meaning. Watering down news headlines with clickbate feels like a step away from that though. Fascists aren't afraid of a few metal projectiles and death, those are their tools. They are afraid of objective facts and people understanding those facts, rather than their propaganda. We shouldn't shy away from those tools, but our focus should be on keeping truth and reality relevant rather than gaining clicks.

[–] ageedizzle@piefed.ca 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Judging by the comments here this truly is an unpopular opinion.

[–] ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

Who's giving what to boomers now?