January 20, 2009

It is what what is???

I think Shaquille O'Neal was the first person I heard saying it. Now it has spread like wildfire, to the point where I heard it on CNBC today. I'm talking about the phrase "It is what it is." What the hell does that mean? Isn't everything what it is? What's something that is NOT what it is? If there's nothing that isn't what it is, what additional information are you offering by saying that something is what it is? I'm confused. Somebody please help.

-BRUECHIPS

6 comments:

Unknown said...

They are who we thought they were.

Lucypher said...

You are correct. The statement is an overused tautology and does not add anything of value.

Alan aka RecessRampage said...

When did shaq say it? I feel like that phrase has been around forever. I use it once in a while. I mean what can you do? It is what it is.

Alan aka RecessRampage said...

oh one more thing. f*ckin shameless blog pimper.

spritpot said...

OK, so I feel like you are suggesting the first reasonable explanation for what this phrase is actually supposed to mean, as in, "it is (right now) what it is (permanently)". So the phrase basically means that something can't be changed.

Shaq is just the first one I remember hearing it from. It seems like I remember it from some post-game news conference, with reporters being confused the first time he said it, asking him to repeat, and nodding after he said it the second time in the way that 175-lb men nod when 350-lb men say things they don't understand but don't want to ask to be repeated a third time. I could be wrong, maybe it's been around longer. Doesn't make it make any more sense.

spritpot said...

oh and one more thing. f&cking shameless post whore!!!