A friend recently mentioned that something was a “game changer,’’ which, because I have an aversion to buzzwords, immediately activated my gag reflex. I can’t even remember what the supposedly pivotal item was. A new brand of paper towels? Unless they can wipe up a spill themselves, I can’t picture them enhancing my life.
Experience tells me that whatever people are describing as a game changer almost certainly isn’t as big or revolutionary or earth-shaking as they think it is. This particular buzzword bothers me more than most, probably because it has its roots in sports. It implies some sort of massive shift, the way an inside-the-park home run might completely change a game.
