An Exception To Every Rule August 26, 2014
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Word Play.trackback
Nothing ventured, nothing gained . . . but look before you leap.
The early bird gets the worm . . . but the early worm gets eaten.
Good things come to those who wait . . . but he who hesitates is lost.
Slow and steady wins the race . . . but good guys finish last.
Ignorance is bliss . . . but know thy enemies.
A rolling stone gathers no moss . . . but haste makes waste.
Honesty is the best policy . . . but if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder . . . but out of sight, out of mind.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush . . . but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Birds of a feather flock together . . . but opposites attract.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Can you think of other perplexing anomalies to the proverbs we parrot?
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Spirit Lights The Way 
Well now, I think you’ve covered them all, Nancy! Nice list! š
This list barely scratches the surface, Jill. There are proverbs, anti-proverbs, counter proverbs, adages, maxims, etc.
But you won’t find me beating a dead horse. š
“Good things come to those who wait” is about the worst proverb I can think of. It was probably originated by someone trying to get something somebody else wanted too.
Folk wisdom appeals in it’s simplicity, but as you aptly demonstrated above, navigating life requires a bit more intellectual nuance than a catchy phrase offers or invites.
“Good things come to those who wait” followed up with . . . “and the meek shall inherit the earth” ~> sayings designed by power brokers to keep us on the sidelines.
Plus, many proverbs don’t have uniform interpretations.
“A rolling stone gathers no moss.” ~> it’s interpretation depends on whether we see moss as a positive (like profit) or a negative (like moldy sloth).
“… sayings designed by power brokers to keep us on the sidelines.”
Well said, Nancy.
To counter the effects of brainwashing, repeat after me:
Life is uncertain . . . eat dessert first.
With two hands!
My Mom definitely made it clear to me that “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all” are words to live by. The guilt that is mine after shooting my mouth over something, especially to family, is just not worth it anymore!
As long as you’re not left “stewing in your own juices” or “caught between a rock and a hard place” by “biting your tongue. š
Ha! Not so much anymore.. š Better than doing the first two in your comment which I do when I spout off.
If “the something” doesn’t continue to bother me, I shrug it off. Life is short. Pick your battles.
But if “the something” is eating away at me (especially if X is treating Y like $%^&), I speak my truth quietly and clearly.
I aim to be Kindly Honest.
“Say what you mean and mean what you say. Those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” ~ Dr. Seuss
I think you got them all, NH! š
In conjunction with your bathroom re-do: “Well begun is half done.”
S~M~A~S~H!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Just remember: “Only a poor workman blames his tools.”
š
LOL, I love seeing them put together like that! Makes for such fun and a good reminder that there are multiple sides to everything – so I should just do what I want! š
Exactly! When we look within for guidance, we are more apt to find the right advice at the right time. Using shifting external reference points to guide our actions is apt to make us DIZZY.
My favorite is already on yours list: Opposites attract/birds of a feather. Opposites attract is the very definition of my husband and me.
Same here, Barbara. On paper, we are NOT a good match. But we are compatible in the ways that matter, including a shared sense of humor about life’s anomalies.
Some words of wisdom here!
Maybe these folks followed Ben Franklin’s adage ~ Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
Very good! Once bitten, twice shy – but history repeats itself.
Thanks, Col! Your thought sparked two more:
* Once bitten, twice shy . . . but if you don’t succeed, try try again.
* Lightning only strikes once . . . but history repeats itself.
Brilliant, Nancy. Is there a counter to “Everything happens for a reason”, except bashing the speaker over the head for their stupidity? š
Everything happens for a reason . . . but random stupidity just happens. š
“many hands make light work”
“too many cooks spoil the broth”
Excellent addition, Elizabeth.
Maybe we have all these conflicting adages because polite folk engaged in proverbial battles to get their way. š
I love the fact that we can get to choose whatever quotes and proverbs work for us…. and then realize that the answer lies within.
Wondering … Has the truth been dieted by the internet or expanded?
Val x
BINGO! There is no one-size-fits-all-situations proverb. When we’re tuned in to our inner wisdom, anything that “resonates” can be an arrow pointing us in the right direction.
I suspect it depends less on the internet itself (which is just a tool) and more on the operator.
Ha! This just goes to show there’s a saying to suit every occasion.
Yes! Life is full of anomalies like this. The more we rely on “them” to point us in the right direction, the more apt we are to end up lost. If an adage resonates, I listen. If it doesn’t, I don’t.
Perceptive post! I had never clocked that there are opposite proverbs! Love the Apple logo.
The first I noted (or had pointed out) was “absence makes the heart grow fonder” and its corollary “out of sight, out of mind.”
These are just great, Nancy. No wonder I can at times be very indecisive. Weighing both sides can be exhausting. LOL! I never thought about them like this before–quite fun!
Yay! I’m glad you got a kick out of this. It’s no wonder we are so often befuddled when we look to others for guidance.
Look deep, the answers lie within.
Haha, excellent! There’s nothing logical in those proverbs and that’s the fun of life.
Agreed. Life’s contradictions make the world go round!