I have been noticing a curious trend amongst my Facebook “friends”. I am certain that other people out there have experienced something similar. Several of the people on my “Friend” list are in fact pre-teen children. They, like everyone on the site, try to have a clever status; i.e. “Ernie is writing a new blog post” or “Tim is at home chillaxin’”. Sometimes, though, one of the children will have a status that just doesn’t make any sense to me. “Betty Sue is eating the best mac & cheese EVER. Callie just had the best sleep EVER. Now, naturally I would assume that these statements are deliberate exaggerations; however, I find myself wondering what if they mean it literally? What if they just ate the best mac & cheese of all time?
If you are 12 years old and you have just eaten “the best meal EVER”, what are you going to do for the rest of your life? After that every time you eat it just won’t ever be as good as that one time. Maybe, if you’re really lucky, you might eventually forget that you have already eaten the best piece of chocolate cake EVER after a couple of decades. If you’re not so lucky… I think maybe the only way to combat this would be to raise your expectations to a really high level. That way you could say you ate a pretty good piece of pizza last night, but not the best one EVER. Just bear in mind that if you eat/do/say/have a relationship with the best thing EVER early in your life, then it’s all downhill from here.
Update from Tim: Great news! I just located the Best Way To Quit Smoking Ever!! Now we can help all those twelve year olds that were seduced by the Popeye Candy Cigs and moved from that gateway candy to “hard” candy, the real smokes.
I do know what you mean you get the comment best ever all the time, maybe its just they are easily satisfied, suffer from memory loss (like the film memento)or just tend to over exaggerate everything just a tiny bit. Not sure if you have seen the video of the Mc Donalds fries, and the fact that they don’t decompose, so maybe what she means is that its the best mac & cheese EVER because it will still be repeating on her in 3 months. (www . ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/23969/).
Once you’ve had the BEST sex EVER, why go on living? Of course, I’ve HAD the BEST sex EVER only we keep topping it. I guess that’s the answer. Topping the best ever (or even trying to) is a hell of an incentive.
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From now on all my status updates must end with EVER! Oh yes, I’m doin’ it!
Corrinas last blog post..I’m Cold!
I never write or speak in American slang. I believe that the word “ever” used in that context is an American tendency.
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This is the best blog post EVER!
When I use “ever” in that sense (and I use it often) I mean “up to now,” which leaves plenty of room for more “evers” to come.
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Hi Ernie,
I’ve got a couple of 11 years olds in my house, and that is exactly how they talk. My step-son in particular, is very fond of adding “Ever!” to the end of his sentences … although in his case, it’s usually in a negative context.
For instance, a couple of years ago he was supposed to go to Chuck E Cheese (pizza and video games) with his dad on his birthday. We happened to have an earthquake here in Hawaii that day (Oct 15 2006), and the power was out throughout the entire state for more than a day.
Even now, Johnathan still refers to that year as “the worst birthday EVER!”
… in this particular example he may just have a point.
However, just keep in context with your article, last night we had pizza for dinner … which is apparently the best dinner EVER!
Kids … what are you gonna do?
Keep havin FuN!
Todd
Todds last blog post..10 Laws of Leadership
I think kids can overwrite their best evers as they go along. Its not saying its “The” peak, just a peak
I don’t want to get pedantic, but the best meal EVER. means the best meal ever- up untill this moment.
so this is good, if everything you do is the best ever than that means things are good and also getting better.
like an athlete that keeps breaking their own personal best.
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I agree that we sometimes misuse the word Ever. As someone else said, “best xxxxxx ever” mean “best xxxxxx ever until now”. And this my friends, is the best article EVER!
that was funny. Even if they meant “THE BEST EVER” literaly I think they’d mean the best they’ve ever eaten. So it doesn’t mean that they won’t eat something tastier anytime in the future – it means they just haven’t eaten anything better yet.
After watching my kids, I wonder if “ever” translates to “this week”???
I don’t know, children has away with words that you wouldn’t understand. It’s so strange because they all have the same word placed in their minds. Best meal “Ever” express excitement to them.
So let them speak as they want. When they grow up the word “Ever” will disapear in thier minds, i think.
Haha unfortunately people seem to be hyperboling all the way up to the age of 16, I think they’ll just carry on doing it FOREVER!
That was a hilarious blog post though. Made me chuckle to imagine leadership figures in business and politics speak with the same hyperbole.
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Yeah, I have heard the opinion too that the Facebook is now fo the children. It was very famous in its time but now people has forgotten about it. The Twitter is on top. What would be next?
could you imagine not ever having a best ever, you would have no memories at all
Hyperbole is absolutely the Best Thing EVER! Except for when I crack a few brewskies & watch the Superbole !
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Which was the best EVER Superbole?
Back in my day it was man this man that, I don’t see any of this as good or bad it just has to be
I am just glad I had some best ever, I have not had allot but what I have was the best ever
I have had a L5/S1 back problem…and recently I had the best back surgery ever! Although still recovering, I cannot ask for better surgeon!
“woteffer” seems to be the phrase of today. Each generation have their phrases.
used to be “bad” at one time, Now “ever” and others.
I like a bit of hyperbole. Adds interest to life.
@Corrina
That’s hot!
I’ve been new to facebook and I would like to start such a trend, looks fun.
I think the term “best ever” is exaggerated a lot, especially from children who are eating big macs.
I’m just wondering why do YOU care about other people and phrases they say? I bet at least %40 of them (phrases I mean) has been generated by some kind of scripts. Take a look at other social sites, they are almost %50 trash
i really enjoyed while reading your blog since you always come with something new which may not be find in other blog. keep posting