--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Asked by a student for an example of…" description: "\"“Asked by a student for an example of infectious cultural junk that is hard to eradicate, I replied, \"Well, it's like, when, like, you use a phrase whi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/daniel-c-dennett-17655_culture_asked-by-a-student-for-an-example-of-inf_2198340.jpg" --- # Asked by a student for an example of infectious cultural… ![“Asked by a student for an example of infectious cultural junk that is hard to eradicate, I replied, "Well, it's like, when, like, you use a phrase which, like, isn't really, like, doing any serious work, but, like you go on, like, using it." To which the student replied, "I, like, understand the…” quote by Daniel C. Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/daniel-c-dennett-17655_culture_asked-by-a-student-for-an-example-of-inf_2198340.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/daniel-c-dennett-17655_culture_asked-by-a-student-for-an-example-of-inf_2198340.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/daniel-c-dennett-17655_culture_asked-by-a-student-for-an-example-of-inf_2198340.jpg) > ““Asked by a student for an example of infectious cultural junk that is hard to eradicate, I replied, "Well, it's like, when, like, you use a phrase which, like, isn't really, like, doing any serious work, but, like you go on, like, using it." To which the student replied, "I, like, understand the point, but I wanted, like, an example.”” [Daniel C. Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-c-dennett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker mocks vague filler‑filled speech, showing how meaningless buzzwords can mask lack of substance. **In simple terms:** Empty phrases hide real meaning. Key Takeaway Avoid using filler words. Themes communication language clarity Mood frustrated reflective Type critical humorous When to use this quote - academic lecture - daily conversation - media interviews Key Concepts philosophy of language semantic emptiness Questions to Reflect On - How can you make your speech more precise? - What habits lead to overusing filler? A Different Perspective Often the listener still misses the point despite the speaker’s effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Like Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-example-4817748/) [Like Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-like/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Phrase Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phrase-like-626580/) [Replied Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/replied-like-4817749/) [Serious work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious-work/) [Student Replied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/student-replied-4021629/) ## Related quotes > [I give them what they want. I try to give them what they want. It's like the example with Ja Rule: I overpay him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irv-gotti/i-give-them-what-they-want-i-try-to-give-them-what-they-want-it-s/) [Irv Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irv-gotti/) > [“When all the teachers are gone, who will be your teacher? The student replied: “Everything! Kobun, paused, then said: “No, you".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobun-chino-otogawa-roshi/when-all-the-teachers-are-gone-who-will-be-your-teacher-the-student/) [Kobun Chino Otogawa Roshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobun-chino-otogawa-roshi/) > [You and I must realize that the English language is filled with words that, in addition to their literal meanings, convey distinct emotional intensity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/you-and-i-must-realize-that-the-english-language-is-filled-with-words/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“I hate that phrase: move on. Like no matter what happened or what you did, you just “move on,” and that’s supposed to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/i-hate-that-phrase-move-on-like-no-matter-what-happened-or-what-you/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > [I've always been sensitive to the phrase 'like a girl,' especially when I was growing up and was told I couldn't play with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-knight/i-ve-always-been-sensitive-to-the-phrase-like-a-girl-especially-when/) [Hilary Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-knight/) > [“People must therefore get away from the idea that serious work is restricted to beating to death a well-defined problem in a narrow discipline,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-christian/people-must-therefore-get-away-from-the-idea-that-serious-work-is/) [David Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-christian/) > [“The more I added to my schedule, cleaning regimen, or athletic training, the less I felt. 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There is no scarlet letter in comics as there still is, to some degree, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kieron-gillen/self-publishing-in-comics-is-core-to-the-whole-artform-there-is-no/) [Kieron Gillen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kieron-gillen/) > [You just can't apologize for being you nor for your emotional self, nor for your intellectual self, nor for spiritual self, nor for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-just-can-t-apologize-for-being-you-nor-for-your-emotional-self/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Humor is serious work. But it keeps everybody at the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idra-novey/humor-is-serious-work-but-it-keeps-everybody-at-the-table/) [Idra Novey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idra-novey/) > [Suffering is too strong a word, but writing is serious work. 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Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-c-dennett/) > [“prosaic, pedestrian example, but everything”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-c-dennett/prosaic-pedestrian-example-but-everything/) [Daniel C. Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-c-dennett/) > [“This 'web of discourses' as Robyn called it...is as much a biological product as any of the other constructions to be found in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-c-dennett/this-web-of-discourses-as-robyn-called-it-is-as-much-a-biological/) [Daniel C. Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-c-dennett/) > [“We can now expose perhaps the most common misunderstanding of Darwinism: the idea that Darwin showed that evolution by natural selection is a procedure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-c-dennett/we-can-now-expose-perhaps-the-most-common-misunderstanding-of/) [Daniel C. Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-c-dennett/) > [“Carpenters don’t make their saws and hammers, tailors don’t make their scissors and needles, and plumbers don’t make their wrenches, but blacksmiths can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-c-dennett/carpenters-don-t-make-their-saws-and-hammers-tailors-don-t-make-their/) [Daniel C. Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-c-dennett/) > [“As I have often noted, a wagon with spoked wheels doesn’t just carry grain or freight from place to place; it carries the brilliant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-c-dennett/as-i-have-often-noted-a-wagon-with-spoked-wheels-doesn-t-just-carry/) [Daniel C. 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I have sacred”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-c-dennett/atheists-and-agnostics-can-have-sacred-values-values-that-are-simply/) [Daniel C. Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-c-dennett/) [Explore all 36 Daniel C. Dennett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-c-dennett/) ## More Culture quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. 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Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) [Browse all 15,940 Culture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Asked by a student for an example of infectious cultural junk that is hard to eradicate, I replied, \"Well, it's like, when, like, you use a phrase which, like, isn't really, like, doing any serious work, but, like you go on, like, using it.\" To which the student replied, \"I, like, understand the point, but I wanted, like, an example.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Daniel C. 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