Boris will pull through because he's a "fighter"

[HavelockVetinari]

AIBU to find this extremely offensive? Are the thousands of people who've died of Covid dead because they just didn't fight hard enough?

Not acceptable, Raab.

Not offensive but just crap.

I guess people just say it to reassure themselves though.

Many victms of the Spanish Flu of 1918-20 were victims of their own immune systems which had developed antibodies to the earlier 'Russian' Flu which their bodies then produced in ever greater amounts as an ineffective response to the new similar virus, crating a cykotine storm.

So the 'fighters' can be the victims of their own resistance.

Yanbu.
It's a twatty thing to say said by twats.

No one can fight an illness. It's luck, health and medicine on his side now. I hope he pulls through.

Yabu, I don’t think it at all offensive. People find it difficult to say the ‘right’ things in these circumstances. Someone would find offence in anything at all that was said.

On the whole all you can do is ride the wave

I think this is a very apt phrase

Everyone knows they are a force of nature and Have the power to take down Anysurfer

It's a stupid expression.

Wow - some of you are easily offended! Probably because some of you are fucking offensive.

Lots of people might think that there is nothing wrong with saying it. It’s meaningless. It’s meant nicely. It’s positive. Well bollocks to that. It’s a shit, hurtful, thoughtless, fucking stupid thing to say to most people who either have a life threatening condition, or have a loved one who has.

Those talking about the “professionally offended” should take some time to read the posts here from those who have lost loved ones; and then rethink whether they meant to be so cruel.

I agree OP. I hate the whole “we’re going to fight this illness and beat it” phrasing; and this was a carefully prepared speech, not an off the cuff clumsy phrasing. They should have thought about how it would come across - 854 people didn’t die yesterday because they couldn’t be bothered to “fight”.

I absolutely agree - it is a totally inappropriate comment. Survival of this awful virus has nothing to do with fighting or being resolute and determined or indeed of having things to do/ a zest for life. Boris has no control over the outcome - the same as everyone else.
My husband died at 26 of cancer - should he have fought harder? I think not 😢.
For those you think it’s a meaningless platitude please think again.

I hate it. From somebody talking informally off the cuff then I’d just ignore it as a thoughtless but well-meant phrase, but when it comes from the de facto PM, giving a prepared statement to the nation then I’m very unimpressed. Was he not paying attention to all the doctors and nurses who’ve died from this disease?

It’s not about being personally offended. It’s about having the empathy to realise it could be an upsetting phrase to people who gone through a lot. I accept that some people lack the EQ/IQ to make that distinction

Raab should resign immediately!!!111!one!

"People find it difficult to say the ‘right’ things in these circumstances"

But that is one of the points is it not? This is not someone meeting their acquaintance in the street who clumsily tries to say something nice about their personal tragedy. These are government figures who have had time to prepare their words. Now in the context yes it probably is all about spin and trying to manage the public's perception of how in control the government is and give reassurance about the PM.

But that does not take away from the fact that the phrase clearly sends a message that some people are strong enough to "fight" and win against fatal conditions and some people are not.

I would wager that MOST people however old/frail/pre-existing conditions etc who succumb to these types of potentially fatal diagnosis do in fact "fight" in their own way however it might look to outsiders. I would guess the vast majority of people given a second chance would of course take it - it is only a very small minority who just give up any internal "fight" or hope the second they are told their diagnosis.

However that is not the point - the point is from an outsiders point of view the only appropriate thing to say is something factual ("hope they have the best medical care" etc) or express empathy if it is a personal relationship (eg "cannot imagine how hard it must be for you" "what can I do to help" etc).

It is not for any outsider to opine on the internal "fight" the person in question might be undergoing.

(and I would hazard a guess the "fighting" talk is more about the speaker - ie "Well if I get it I will survive because I am (also a) fighter so that's OK")

But to be fair I wouldn’t expect empathy from the front bench of the government. Not really their thing.

I always think using this turn of phrase makes the speaker sound like a moron all right.

Larry is ready to take over in our hour of need:

twitter.com/Number10cat/status/1242042380087431168

I think it would have been better to say that 'the PM is very healthy and fit and no underlying health issues so he stands a good chance of pulling through.'

It's a silly turn of phrase to say that someone will recover because they're a 'fighter', but people frequently say the wrong thing when talking about illness and death. To cut these Raab and Cameron some slack, they are talking about a friend not just the PM, so they're invested in a way that we're not.

He’s trying to convince (himself as much as anyone else), that Boris isn’t going to die.

It’s not a phrase I like, but when you’re trying to convey government strength while the PM’s in an ICU bed, there’s not much to chose from.

But to be fair I wouldn’t expect empathy from the front bench of the government. Not really their thing

What a horrible thing to say

"He’s trying to convince (himself as much as anyone else), that Boris isn’t going to die.

It’s not a phrase I like, but when you’re trying to convey government strength while the PM’s in an ICU bed, there’s not much to chose from."

Yep
I've long hated the phrase wrt cancer, but it does seem to be something people say to try to keep their courage up about a friend or family member - so I would wince, but never judge them

Quacks

"a line I read in an article yesterday about Carrie Symon’s and how ‘nothing can compare’ to the pain she is going through right now"

I read that as "nothing can compare the pain she is going through now compared with the charmed life she had led up until these circumstances" not comparing her pain against other people's pain of which I am sure until this moment she has been blissfully unaware.

I agree OP - it is an offensive turn of phrase when used in relation to any illness.

It's just cliched bollocks. And makes me suspicious as to how poorly he is that he will "pull through it ". You try to "pull through " life threatening conditions. Is he so poorly as to be in danger of losing his life.
Or is it just the kind of nonsense someone of low rent intellect like Raab would trot out.
I hope he's better soon.

I think it would have been better to say that 'the PM is very healthy and fit and no underlying health issues so he stands a good chance of pulling through.'

Quite plainly a reason why they can't say that though.

I am not sure what is the best thing to say but the 'fighter' and 'zest for life' things annoy me too.

Well what was he supposed to say?! It's pretty standard when someone is in ICU.