I am going to start this post off by going directly to Urban Dictionary: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Just%20sayin’
“a phrase used to diffuse any ill feelings caused by a preceded remark. sort of like a mentos.”
The submissions at UD nail the evil of this phrase in the heart with a stake. When people use this phrase, they are trying to say that they’re allowed to say things that they know are intended to offend and/or humiliate the target of the remark, without receiving any social repercussions. It’s a verbal get out of jail free card.
Unfortunately, I have seen this phrase used quite often on the internet, and it’s usually preceded by an ellipsis. As a result, whenever I use this phrase verbally, I like to hold up a visual ellipsis: 3 or 4 pointed fingers toward the person that I am offending. Maybe I’ll post a video here of an example.
Here are some examples of how to use this phrase.
This one actually happened on Facebook. I posted a status update that said, “The singular goal of an economy is to produce consumer goods.” This comes from Murray Rothbard. (HT Sam Selikoff).
The first comment on my status said:
“…most of which people do not need… just sayin’.”
(Yes he did start a sentence with an ellipsis)
No. You’re not allowed to make the generalization that people don’t “need” most of the goods they consume. I know that it is not my place to determine what other individuals “need” to consume, and I hope that everybody else will accord me this same courtesy. When you decide that you have the right to determine what other people consume, you lose the ability to say the word “Freedom” and instill it with any meaning.
Here is another example that you might observe when a group of young people are conversing.
“Yo bro, Michael Moore is a straight up communist, and I hope somebody kills him Columbine style… just sayin.”
“Word. I mean it’s possible, but everybody knows you’re a faggot… just sayin’.”
No. We need to teach our children that words have meanings. We use these meanings to communicate ideas. You are not allowed to string words together, not worry about what they mean, and then use the phrase, “just sayin,” to absolve yourself of any responsibility for your words.
But seriously, at the end of the day, it is what it is, and Michael Moore is an evil socialist… just sayin’.
P.S. John Stewart does a pretty good job here (I found this after I wrote this post… just sayin’).