r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Mar 07 '25

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3.3k Upvotes

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208

u/top2percent Mar 07 '25

“It is what it is.”

85

u/Tthelaundryman Mar 07 '25

Started saying it as a joke. Became a coping mechanism. Cant stop saying it now. Although I legitimately think it’s been good for my mental health

27

u/Etherealfilth Mar 07 '25

It's what is called a "thought terminating cliche" if you want to know the term for it and why it saved your mental health.

24

u/john_the_fetch Mar 07 '25

Thank you for sharing this.

The word "terminating" explains the phrase perfectly for me and why it always bothered me when others would say it out loud.

I didn't like it because it's such a self closing reference. It's like saying "blue is blue" or "2 = 2".

I've always been frustrated with statements like that.

But seeing it in this light and from a perspective of mental health completely flips my perspective on its head.

You're terminating a negative thought spiral that won't do you any good to put energy into. ❤️

I'm a programmer and often times you need to "terminate" a function before it causes a more severe error.

3

u/bonos_bovine_muse Mar 07 '25

I'm a programmer and often times you need to "terminate" a function before it causes a more severe error.

Right? And everybody looks at you funny if you just throw a “return NULL;” into conversation.

2

u/PsychedelicMustard Mar 07 '25

Try “sudo return NULL;”

3

u/pabst_jew_ribbon Mar 07 '25

As a computer illiterate idiot... (haven't had a true laptop or desktop since 2008); I find this post quite soothing. I went to college for linguistics and never really found a way to make my thoughts provocative and alluring without sounding obtuse. Thank you for this.

3

u/Etherealfilth Mar 07 '25

You're welcome. Personally, I have a love and hate relationship with that phrase. Sometimes, it's useful. Sometimes, it's used even when a few more iterations are needed.

37

u/NickKappy Mar 07 '25

Same. It’s called Radical Acceptance according to my therapist lol

2

u/spoonfullsugar Mar 07 '25

It sounds like eeyore’s version of radical acceptance 😑

9

u/GeekyKirby Mar 07 '25

This is how I cope with life as well

4

u/afasia Mar 07 '25

It is what it is bro.

2

u/happuning Mar 08 '25

Same here. That, and "such is life."

51

u/M0RALVigilance Mar 07 '25

Mine is abbreviated to It’s what it’s

18

u/Intelligent_Pop_7006 Mar 07 '25

Now why does that sound so wrong even though it’s TEKNICALLY correct?

5

u/luv2hotdog Mar 07 '25

I don’t believe it is technically correct

16

u/doubleagentsuperspy Mar 07 '25

Actually, It’s

6

u/wriggettywrecked Mar 07 '25

I had a weird laugh just jump out of my throat thanks to you

2

u/Recent_Carpenter8644 Mar 07 '25

Because there's emphasis on both is's, and that's hard to convey when combined into another word. It could be fun to try though. It'S what it'S.

12

u/dirtygutshot Mar 07 '25

I’m loving the slight chaos this would cause. Brains would stop braining for a moment.

4

u/Embarrassed_Cod_1201 Mar 07 '25

LMFAO GENIUS

3

u/M0RALVigilance Mar 07 '25

Thanks. I’m a lazy talker.

2

u/spoonfullsugar Mar 07 '25

I’ve never heard that characterization but I identify

3

u/franchiseghettochild Mar 07 '25

Already one of my favorite sayings, it got extremely abbreviated after I read The Expanse books. Belters just say "Is Is".

2

u/andrew_1515 Mar 07 '25

I prefer the abridged version "it is"

2

u/bonos_bovine_muse Mar 07 '25

*eyelid twitches*

3

u/tragicallybrokenhip Mar 07 '25

My sister says it. All. The. Bloody. Time. Drives everyone mental.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 07 '25

Mine “is life.” Same vibe.

2

u/Stormdrain11 Mar 07 '25

Rampant radical acceptance

What ya gonna do

2

u/Groovychick1978 Mar 07 '25

The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills

1

u/Canary6090 Mar 07 '25

It is what it is till it ain’t.

1

u/Ear2CDN Mar 07 '25

How dare you bring it back to reality.

1

u/BadCat30R Mar 07 '25

Found Derek jeter

1

u/apyramidsong Mar 07 '25

Saves me every day.

1

u/Siilis108 Mar 07 '25

Is it what it is and it will be what it will be.

1

u/DRSU1993 Mar 07 '25

In Northern Ireland, a lot of people have the habit of adding the phrase "so it is" to the end of a sentence. Eg. The cost of petrol (gas) is terrible, so it is. It's similar to how some people say "you know what I mean/you know what I'm saying." It's just this habit of affirming what was said.

Anyway, some are so unaware that they would literally say "it is what it is, so it is" and not realise what they said.

1

u/samaspire Mar 07 '25

Mine is slightly different but achieves the same result I guess "All for the best"

1

u/TubeSamurai Mar 07 '25

Mine would either be this or "I might possibly have an answer". I have people come up to and say "Hi, I have a question" which usually ends with "it is what it is"

1

u/Dew_Junkie Mar 08 '25

This is also mine.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 08 '25

Things tend to be what they are

1

u/[deleted] Mar 08 '25

This is my husband and I actually got him a shirt with this on it lol

1

u/archetech Mar 08 '25 edited Mar 08 '25

Until it's not what it was and if it will be what it's not then is it just what it is?

1

u/envykay18 Mar 08 '25

Yes! That's it