Oof. “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again,” but then also, “stupidity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different outcome.” Am I driven or am I stupid? Make up your mind.
And of course, one must answer and not answer a fool according to his folly. Because even one such as Solomon couldn't find a general principle that ALWAYS works.
Nice piece, Jonathan. You’ve explained the reverse-engineered proverb very well. — I enjoy debunking affirmation memes with my students. We’ve agreed that “I’m just saying” really means “Don’t fight me on this; I think I’m correct but don’t want the hassle of explaining myself.”
Folk sayings reveal much about a people's values and obsessions. Contradictory proverbs especially focus on topics we desperately don't want to get wrong. There may be a historical factor in the contradictions, showing cultural shifts in risk-taking or in relative valuations of money vs. time, etc.
Ok, but I still think these sayings are useful. For example, when I’m trying to teach kids not to give up after the first failure, or even the second or maybe third, I do teach them the “if at first you don’t succeed…” proverb. And if I’m thinking about a job that’s too hard for me to do alone (yard work), I get help because “many hands make light work.” Or I get out the needle and thread because my mama taught me that “a stitch in time saves nine.” I don’t know anything that might contradict that proverb except my mother in law who doesn’t believe in sewing. But, I think all of these sayings have some truth to them, depending on the situation. And maybe that’s why we have contradicting proverbs. Because they are useful sometimes. Just not all the time.
I believe the “many hands make light work” saying applies to grunt work (when a person is functioning as hands and feet), and “too many cooks” applies to creative work, where too many minds’ input makes a mess.
James Shrimpton brings up the delightful Proverbs 26: 4-5: “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.”
Here Solomon explains the different merits of two contrasting responses to a fool. His irony is intended to increase thoughtfulness, not provide an after-the-fact excuse for simplistic decision making.
The difference between Solomon’s contrasting principles and any random pair of antithetical sayings is the presence or absence of an unbreakable bond between the concepts. To separate the Solomonic principles is to divide the baby with a sword.
How much more fun to write Solomonic contrasts than individual idioms.
Today I tried my own hand at ironic contrast.
“If you see an athlete running clockwise around a 400-meter track, ask her no questions. She surely knows nothing about running. Unless she knows everything.”
“A note is mightier than a word: it shatters silence, warms the body, and lifts the soul. A word is mightier than a note: it pierces chaos, stills the mind, and guides the soul.”
Oof. “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again,” but then also, “stupidity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different outcome.” Am I driven or am I stupid? Make up your mind.
And of course, one must answer and not answer a fool according to his folly. Because even one such as Solomon couldn't find a general principle that ALWAYS works.
Nice piece, Jonathan. You’ve explained the reverse-engineered proverb very well. — I enjoy debunking affirmation memes with my students. We’ve agreed that “I’m just saying” really means “Don’t fight me on this; I think I’m correct but don’t want the hassle of explaining myself.”
Folk sayings reveal much about a people's values and obsessions. Contradictory proverbs especially focus on topics we desperately don't want to get wrong. There may be a historical factor in the contradictions, showing cultural shifts in risk-taking or in relative valuations of money vs. time, etc.
Ok, but I still think these sayings are useful. For example, when I’m trying to teach kids not to give up after the first failure, or even the second or maybe third, I do teach them the “if at first you don’t succeed…” proverb. And if I’m thinking about a job that’s too hard for me to do alone (yard work), I get help because “many hands make light work.” Or I get out the needle and thread because my mama taught me that “a stitch in time saves nine.” I don’t know anything that might contradict that proverb except my mother in law who doesn’t believe in sewing. But, I think all of these sayings have some truth to them, depending on the situation. And maybe that’s why we have contradicting proverbs. Because they are useful sometimes. Just not all the time.
I believe the “many hands make light work” saying applies to grunt work (when a person is functioning as hands and feet), and “too many cooks” applies to creative work, where too many minds’ input makes a mess.
James Shrimpton brings up the delightful Proverbs 26: 4-5: “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.”
Here Solomon explains the different merits of two contrasting responses to a fool. His irony is intended to increase thoughtfulness, not provide an after-the-fact excuse for simplistic decision making.
The difference between Solomon’s contrasting principles and any random pair of antithetical sayings is the presence or absence of an unbreakable bond between the concepts. To separate the Solomonic principles is to divide the baby with a sword.
How much more fun to write Solomonic contrasts than individual idioms.
Today I tried my own hand at ironic contrast.
“If you see an athlete running clockwise around a 400-meter track, ask her no questions. She surely knows nothing about running. Unless she knows everything.”
“A note is mightier than a word: it shatters silence, warms the body, and lifts the soul. A word is mightier than a note: it pierces chaos, stills the mind, and guides the soul.”
Troy Thompson
Delightful reflection. Thanks!