Ten Irrational Ideas

From RRW 

http://www.intropsych.com/ch13_therapies/ten_irrational_ideas.html

Irrational idea #4 is awfulizing: the idea that you have to view things as awful, terrible, and horrible when things go wrong.

What is "awfulizing"? What common remark makes Ellis react strongly?

"I can't stand it" is a common remark heard in therapy. Ellis disputed this assertion when he heard it, or when he heard somebody say they could not "bear" something. People use these statements to express emotion; they do not mean them literally. Ellis forced his clients to confront the fact that such statements cannot be taken literally. They do not suggest a constructive course of action. If taken seriously, they can paralyze you. Repeating to yourself "I can't stand it" is like self-hypnosis. Pretty soon you can't stand it. Better to say to yourself, "This bothers the heck out of me, but I guess I can survive it."

Exaggerating awfulness can lead one to emotions and mental illness 

Repeating awfulizing memes can hypnotize people into believing  them

EG Goebbels yimach shmo brainwashed German Society, even non NAZIS, into believing JEWS ARE OUR MISFORTUNE and the like.  Sheer repetition makes extreme memes palatable