I agree with you a 110%, Jax.

As I'm sure you already know hyperbole is a part of English usage and used well it adds to the colour and richness of the language, but when certain phrases become cliches, it's probably better not to use them at all. Along the same lines, we use similes: 'he moved as fast as lightning', metaphors: 'she had a heart of stone' and hypocatastases: 'Angel!' (when describing a person).

I have a feeling that your rant isn't so much about the fact that the English language is littered (and enriched) by figures of speech like these but that you're just sick of people who overuse some figures of speech...at least I hope so!