Nobody wants to bear the brunt of bad news, but getting dumped, getting fired, and getting rejected are pretty much a fact of life. And with the trending hashtag #4WordLetDowns, Twitter users are sharing the most frustrating and funny ways they've been succinctly let down.
The worst four words I've ever heard uttered in my direction are "we need to talk." When this seemingly innocuous phrase is said by a significant other, it's usually followed by an accusatory lecture or emotionally draining fight — or the inevitable breakup talk I knew was coming. At work, it can been equally unpleasant. When a superior says it via email or requests your presence IRL with those four little words, there's usually nothing good waiting on the other side of their office door. Really, I wish "we need to talk" could be replaced with "we need to break up" or "you're not getting that raise after all," because this vague turn of phrase has the emotional nuance of a Mack truck.
Of course, I'm not alone in this experience, and as Twitter users are recounting today, everyone is familiar with disappointing news. Here are nine of the most common kinds of #4WordLetDowns:
