Miss OstrichI have a problem with "romantic" cliches. I've heard too many girls say, "I love him so much. I would LITERALLY take a bullet for him," while talking about their little 8th grade boyfriends. In rural New Jersey (my homeland), however, the opportunity for a shoot-out rarely comes up.
So what does "take a bullet for you" really mean?
Simply, to take a bullet for someone is to experience horrible pain or death on your part instead of theirs. In romantic terms, it's a very extravagant way of saying you would do anything to stop this person from getting hurt, even going to the extent of hurting yourself in the process. In literal terms, taking a bullet would not be so poetic.
Now, say you and your SO are walking down the street and someone comes up to you both declaring, "I was sent here to kill (insert your SO's name here)." He has a gun and points it at your SO's chest. Right as he pulls the trigger, you push your SO out of the way and take the bullet through the heart. You're a goner, and the hitman runs away.
So, now you're dying, blood all around you, pain like you've never felt before. Your SO leans down and cradles your head, and you use the last ounce of your energy to look into his/her eyes and smile. Romantic, no?
You know what the smile really says? "Look what I have done for you.You are alive because of me. Remember that. I am now dead BECAUSE OF YOU. That is how much I loved you." Then you die, and for the rest of his/her life, your SO has to live with the memory of you dying because of him/her, which then causes them to feel pain constantly, so your plan failed. Very romantic.
While it's a nice thing to say, this phrase taken literally means nothing besides you would rather die than your SO, and in that case, you really have to pull back and examine yourself if you can say you'd be okay with dying for someone, especially if you're young and naive to the world of dating.
Cliche busted!
How do you feel about the, "I would take a bullet for you" cliché? What are some other romantic cliches?
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Comments (63)
Hahah, this cliche officially sucks. I've never said it, anyway.
I can't think of any other cliches. Feh. I tried, really! Haha.
I've never said it & don't really like it either. I kindof agree with what you said.
i literally would. but too bad i still love life. pwahhahahaha
Oh, romantic cliches... they make me ill. 99% of the time they aren't true... or are grossly exaggerated. I have heard that what makes a cliche into one is that it represents a truth, at the very kernel of its existence... maybe this is true, and every now and again someone does take a bullet for their loved one (to use this cliche as an example.) Good for them, if they did - but in day to day life, how often does this happen? Unless you're in some twisted version of West Side Story ... not often. Out with the cliches... let's find something new, something real.
Well in that situation, I think if you didn't take the bullet, you'd feel like crap because you didn't do anything that could have made your SO still be alive.
But, I've never said that phrase, so whatevs =P
I guess I could take a bullet...in one of my butt cheeks. Tis only a flesh wound!
I never really said "I'd die for you" or "I'd take a bullet for you", but I have said "I'd do whatever it takes" or "I'd do a lot". Hah. I'm lame. :P
I'm a chicken shit so I probably run for my life when that time comes. If he gets shot, snap. The most I can do is rush him to the hospital and try to save his life.
Never said that to anyone because I don't think I could take the pain.
But if it was my dad or my mom, no doubt. I'll risk my life for them.
I just wonder what good taking a bullet for the SO would do under most circumstances. In the situation you described, why wouldn't the shooter just turn and shoot your SO right after shooting you?
If someone says that they will take a bullet for someone else I always ask where, under what circumstances and what good they expect it to do. To date, no one has ever responded to any of those questions.
What, are you kidding? It's a, um, sweet thought (NOT) but I sure as hell wouldn't die for someone I'm dating, and I wouldn't want them to do the same for me, either.
How about "I'll love you forever"- clearly someone doesn't know what forever means. We all die eventually, right?
HAHAHHAHAhahaha.... what a great scenario! Why would anyone think of death when they could think of happier cliches about their love. haha
Never believed in taking a bullet unless it is for emergencies ONLY and for family.
@Roadlesstaken@xanga - hhhahahahaa!!poor cheeks! u dont love them ..
i am just not into people saying cliche stuff at all! i cant live without u? u r my sun and my sky?i'll die for u? lol!!! it makes me laugh like crazy.
I don't like romantic cliche like that anyway but if the situation comes..I would literally take the bullet. But that's just me anyway
@s_h_a_sha@xanga - Oh no don't get me wrong, I appreciate my butt! However, if I had to take a bullet that's probably the first place I'll volunteer to take it at. I'll just have to sit on one of those donut cushions for a while haha.
why not just push ur SO outta the way and club the a-hole with the gun? win-win :P
no but really, i agree entirely... not romantic...
@Roadlesstaken@xanga - hahaha.
I used to say I'd die for my boyfriend, I loved him that much. Now, I say I'll live for my husband, because I love him that much. It's much harder for me to live for someone than to die for them.
@Roadlesstaken@xanga - LOL isn't that line from Monty Python and the Holy Grail???
I'll live and if necessary, die for my SO. That's my cliche
Of course, I'm also firm believer in fighting back/concealed carry. If death comes, it comes, but I prefer to be the guy that "took care" of the attacker instead of being killed by him.
Because when taking a bullet, it must be a fatal wound! What about in those comedies where the guy takes the bullet and it gets him in the ass instead?
What should you do if someone were to come up and say they were going to shoot your SO. Just.. stand there? Do like the women in movies and scream, "No! Don't! Stop! Don't hurt him!"?
If someone were to pull a gun on me and my SO, saying they were going to kill him, I'd quickly think over the situation. There are tons of things you've got to keep in mind. Like, is there a way to get the gun pointed elsewhere? Is there a possibility to do that before it goes off? If you do have to jump in front of the bullet, which side is safest to do so? Is your SO just going to stand there? Etcetc.
If you stand there while your SO is about to get shot, you're selfish. If you jump in front of the gun and get shot, you're selfish. No matter what, you're selfish, so.
@joycemiles@xanga - perhaps...
I'd take a bullet for someone. Like in the arm or shoulder. Nowhere lethal. That's just dumb like previously stated.
Well, what you said hurts the one that lives while you die. However, should the other person get shot, wouldn't you be the one that hurts from that?
Can't say for other people, but I'd rather die knowing I was able to protect my S.O. instead of watching her die and having to live with that.
i just watched batman begins twice, so the whole taking bullets for others thing is not feeling so far fetched right now