The first work of art to find an “easy and natural” storytelling shortcut gets to reap the benefits. By the 79th work to abuse the same shortcut, the novelty has worn off and the downsides to the plot become clearer. A cliche is born.
It’s well and good to say “stories have failed plenty without including cliches”, but do understand what you are defending – an eternity of knights on white horses, "I am your father"s, third acts speeches about the power of friendship, women in refrigerators. Personally I think it’s probably healthy that some tropes become cliches and die.
The first work of art to find an “easy and natural” storytelling shortcut gets to reap the benefits. By the 79th work to abuse the same shortcut, the novelty has worn off and the downsides to the plot become clearer. A cliche is born.
It’s well and good to say “stories have failed plenty without including cliches”, but do understand what you are defending – an eternity of knights on white horses, "I am your father"s, third acts speeches about the power of friendship, women in refrigerators. Personally I think it’s probably healthy that some tropes become cliches and die.