'It is what it is.'

[onehandle]

When did this fucking term become mainstream? Is it from a movie? When did you first hear it?

I heard it first about five years ago. Since then it has become an excuse phrase to avoid real work and innovation. And to cover up mistakes.

Used constantly by a jackass manager about three years ago, who through his sheer ineptitude, allowed a mass layoff of 20 useful and necessary co-workers that I needed.

The laziest, weak-minded, spineless, and simply dumb, use this phrase like a shield.

[dawg]

1. I hate that people use that, too ...

but it is what it is. You know what I mean? Nothing we can do about it.

[seabeyond]

2. whenever i speak about an injustice... and obvious injustice

cause it is just too big to deal with so i guess we are suppose to allow it to grow instead of people actually taking responsibility to curtail the growth.

i hear ya

i never have accepted that.

[russspeakeasy]

3. The Deer Hunter. circa 1990 ?

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. Dude...the Deer Hunter was made in 1978

[russspeakeasy]

8. I may have been in a coma for 15 years .

I was actually referring to the first time I remember hearing it ..

[GoCubsGo]

5. The first time I ever heard it...

...was when Mike Meyers mumbled it during his deer-in-the-headlights moment when Kanye West claimed that "George Bush hates black people." I heard it a lot more frequently after that moment.

[VWolf]

6. It's gradually replacing "Whatcha gonna do?" n/t

[unblock]

7. yeah, we all wish that one didn't exist, but, well, you know, it is what it is....

[JuveDem]

9. yup. That statement became mainstream a few years back. Used by a lot of senior managers and

executives when they can't explain their screw up.

[onehandle]

10. Back then it was at that level...

About an hour ago I overheard an 'executive assistant' (secretary) use this phrase on the phone, after she didn't order sandwiches from a preferred caterer in time, and had to order from a backup caterer, for a meeting.

Shark. Jumped.