Be careful with platitudes

Two of the most common platitudes used in the political realm are "I want to make a difference" and "I want to change the world."  The problem with these two "sayings" is this: "Who doesn't?"

I watched a Mrs. U.S.A. pageant a few years ago, perhaps the last time I will ever do this, and nearly half the women on stage said something along the lines of "I want to make a difference."

I watch the Disney Channel every day too, and listen as the children are made to say things like "we need people like x and x to show that together we can make a difference."

Look, both Hitler and Stalin had goals to make a difference, and they created fascist governments with social reforms that forced people to give up personal liberties for the good of the state.  Then they forced people to comply by killing them if they didn't.

But don't worry, because they did it to make a difference.