Earlier quoted context omitted.
A saying I used at my old job was, "It could be worse, you could be face-down in a ditch somewhere." I thought it was funny and meant to improve people's perspective. Most people thought it was morbid too, so I had to stop. Personally, I think a little dark humor helps people get by but that's just me. :)
Be careful with that one, if they where older they could have found it offensive. Ira Hayes an American War hero of WW2 died drunk in a ditch and if IRCC "dead in a ditch" was coined as morbid reference to that event, and was not always used in the best light when referring to American Indians. It can evoke stereotypes of American Indians and alcohol abuse as he was more remembered at the time for his death, rather t…
No one, literally no one, using the incredibly common idiom of "dead in a ditch" is thinking of or referencing anything to do with Native Americans, alcohol or this person you've just referenced who I've never heard of before.
There is roughly a 0% chance that someone saying that phrase means it, or has ever even heard of it as, the weird imaginary negative stereotype usage you've claiming here.