Column: The lure of the great cliché of China

In normal weeks, I try to say something original in my column and to avoid writing in clichés. But this week I have decided to change tack.

The task I have set myself is to write an article entirely composed of received wisdom and tired phrases. The central argument must be a cliché. Every idea must be a cliché. Every sentence must contain a cliché.

This is harder than it sounds. But I have been aided in my task by careful rereading of my own work. In the matter of clichés, we are all sinners. And with that appropriately hackneyed thought, let me begin:

The Beijing Olympics is one of those iconic moments that tell us we have reached a tipping point. Our kids are going to inherit a very different world.

The remainder of this column can be read here. Please post comments below.

The World

with Gideon Rachman

About this blog About Gideon Blog guide
Gideon Rachman and his FT colleagues debate international affairs.

Gideon became chief foreign affairs columnist for the Financial Times in July 2006. He joined the FT after a 15-year career at The Economist, which included spells as a foreign correspondent in Brussels, Washington and Bangkok. He also edited The Economist’s business and Asia sections.

His particular interests include American foreign policy, the European Union and globalisation
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