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30 People On Reddit Respond To The Viral “What Popular Saying Is Actually Nonsense” Thread
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"Money can't buy happiness," "looks don't matter," "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger": chances are you've heard all of these popular sayings more than a dozen times. Or even said them yourself—but do you really believe them? It's easy to say that money can't buy happiness for someone for whom money isn't a problem. But for someone who struggles to make ends meet and keep a roof over their head, money sure does bring at least some happiness or relief.
This week, one Reddit user asked others to share which popular sayings they find to be complete rubbish. As always, hundreds of people participated in the discussion, mentioning some really common sayings and explaining why they're nonsense. Scroll down below to read the best 45 replies and vote for the ones you agree with!
More info: Reddit
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"Money can't buy happiness."
Poverty can't buy anything.
"The Customer is Always Right." Because half of it's missing. The full truism is "The Customer is Always Right in matters of taste."
Guy wants a pint of half baileys, half orange juice? He's paying...
Lady wants to wear a raw turkey as a hat? You do you love...
What it doesn't mean is that Kyle and Karen get free reign to treat people like [crap] because they happen to be handing over money at some stage of the interaction.
"There's plenty of fish in the sea"
You know what else there's plenty of in the sea? Trash.
‘If you can’t handle me at my worst you don’t deserve me at my best’
This is like toxic relationship starter pack stuff
This is a statement I have heard when they are ready to bail at the first sign of someone else's problems.
'What doesnt kill you just makes you stronger'..... bull. 2x cancer survivor here, it sure didnt make me any stronger...
"Looks don't matter."
They do. Not always, not completely, but they very much do matter. Humans are kind of superficial in that regard.
"It doesn't matter who started it."
Of course it does. Even legally the concept of who did what first is recognized as vital.
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Nah mate, it just gives you trauma.
“Good things come to those who wait.”
Try waiting your whole life and see what comes to you.
"it's just how I am." Well you're a [damn prick], change your behavior and act like a decent human!
"Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg are college dropouts"
Dude they went to Harvard, not community college.!
“Happiness is a choice.” That’s maybe sometimes a little true, but depression is real, and it’s not what anyone chose.
Everything happens for a reason. (Like rape, murder, death of children, starvation, genocide, etc). Or my favorite, God doesn’t give you more than you can handle.
You and every other human being have free will. YOU are responsible for what YOU do as other people are responsible for what they do. God does not "cause wars or epidemics or fires or murders or force people to be monsters." People do that all on their own and blaming God for it means you are nothing but a child wanting someone to "save" you from your and other peoples' actions.
"Life is like a box of chocolate. You never know what you're gonna get." Every box of chocolate I have seen has a little book that tells you what you'll get.
When someone tells a depressed person "just exercise and drink water." [Hell], I barely have enough motivation to breathe, what makes you think I'm gonna get up to exercise.
Dr Albert Schweitzer confided that all healing is self healing. Yes, there will always be more to it than that but it starts with wanting to get better. Trying is better than not trying . . .
"Practice makes perfect!"
I had a teacher that used to point out that no, practice makes permanent. If you practice something in an incorrect way, you're going to perform incorrectly.
“Sleep is for the weak” or “I’ll sleep when I die” Well actually, not sleeping is making you weaker and decreasing your lifespan as you gloat about it right now. Sleep is essential people.
You don't need money to be happy.
Usually this quote is being used by those who are already filthy rich
"Violence is never the answer."
It isn't usually the answer. But occasionally...it really is.
War is violent. Feuds are violent. Hate is violent. Not violence wherein you JUST kill or maim, but violence to your soul. There are things you have to deal with, but you do it with the understanding that NOTHING WILL EVER BE THE SAME AGAIN. EVER. Hating someone is destructive. Hating an idea or concept means you will never be able to understand the people who embrace it. It does not make you superior, it makes you weaker.
"A watched pot never boils."
It does, I've checked.
Using the phrase, "it's just a few bad apples," to protect an institution when the full proverb says, " a few bad apples spoils the bunch."
Be yourself. If you're a [prick] and even the nice people hate you, then you should change and not be yourself
Hard work never killed anyone
Hmm . . . working fields and building pyramids did not make for longevity.
“Sleep like a baby”. It implies that babies sleep really well. My second is 4 days old; I can confirm babies don’t sleep well.
Like the old joke: "How are you sleeping?", "like a baby - I wake up crying every two hours".
You can achieve anything you set your mind to.
Only if you are practical concerning your goals. I'm too old to be a gymnast but I can play piano like Elton John.
"It's better to ask forgiveness than permission." Yeah eventually people are just gonna stop forgiving you.
If you love something set it free...
Uh no if you love something smother it with affection until you catch the early flight home and catch a couple naked dudes tag teaming your fiancé
Note: this post originally had 45 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
I don't know if it is only me but motivational talks demotivate me tremendously.
You aren't alone. I can't listen to that all warm fuzzy bull s**t.
Don't worry, I know you can do it! Believe in yourself! You can avoid all motivation if you set your mind to it! >:)
I love being able to cut the video and mute myself now that all meetings are via Zoom, for that very reason.
Nah mate... you're not alone! I always avoid "motivational videos" and such things
agreed. I always thin it must be SO annoying to have everybody just give you quotes and say "You are worth it" Their trying but it ALMOST NEVER helps
Right. It seems so fake.
Mostly it just p*sses me off..
Was on project, $25k/hr in consultants and management. They had a team building consultant come in for 4 hours doing touchy feeley exercises. People grouped up with their usual besties to compete. $100k later, net sum zero, we went back to work half a day further behind.
*sigh* to much motivational stuff for me. Ima go lay down
lma - laughing my ass..?
Ima. I say that too :D ima go get some groceries etc: I'm 'a/I am going to (gonna). It's a shorthand
no.... It's a made-up word I use. (btw that's an i, i m a :D)
I can't tell if I'm motivated or feeling depressed right now
Its both I think 😩 because same...
"sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me" Emotional abuse causes psychological wounds that take much longer to heal than a broken bone.
"Great minds think alike". The ending of this quote is "and fools seldom differ."
i really hate it when people say, "just ignore them, they're just doing it to get a rise out of you" a) do you have any idea how difficult it is to ignore them? and b) some people are just crap people
youshouldseemeinacrown no
what are you replying no to?
It’s super easy to ignore them if you know they’re just some embarrassingly dorky losers who are probably just jealous anyway.
maybe it's easy for you, but not for me
How about "the exception proves the rule" - WTF that supposed to ever mean?
Da fuq "da fuq" supposed to ever mean? Lol so cringey.
It means “what the fûck.” And “so cringe” is literally from the same slang era / family as Dafuq. Also you just cried openly to someone earlier about how you didn’t want them to lol, and look at you here doing it. Are you feeling down on yourself or something? You’re taking it out on people online.
hey, don't be criticizing!
How about proverbs that contradict each other: 1. Absence makes the heart grow fonder v. Familiarity breeds contempt. 2. Look before you leap v. He who hesitates is lost. 3. Every cloud has a silver lining v. The light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train. 4. Don't change horses in mid-stream v. A new broom sweeps cleaner. 5. Finish what you start v. Don't throw good money after bad. 6. Opposites attract v. Birds of a feather flock together. 7. Clothes make the man v. Don't judge a book by its cover. 8. Great minds think alike v. Fools seldom differ. 9. Haste makes waste v. Time and Tide waits for no man. 10. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth v. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.
1) Yeah, those are saying the same thing. 2) Don’t hesitate unnecessarily, but definitely don’t make an action without considering the consequences. 3) There’s a bright side and a dark side to every situation. 4) I don’t think those have much to do with each other, correct me if I’m wrong. 5) See 4 6) You have a point there. 7) The interior often impacts the exterior, but it’s good to look deeper. 8) Great minds will often analyze the situation and come to the same conclusion, whilst fools will all do the stupidest thing imaginable. 9) Similar to 2, don’t rush it, but don’t waste time. 10) Accept gifts politely, but examine it away from the giver.
Don't change horses in midstream is a reference to when people rode rather than drove, especially in rural places. sometimes a bridge would be washed out or there would just be a ford or crossing. if the water was deep or swift you wanted to stay on your horse. it basically means "choose the right time to switch gears/rides/change something in your life, don't do it in the middle of a dangerous situation." As fo the second part, I've never heard before, but I imagine it means "change can be beneficial..."
"He's a nice guy once you get to know him." Translation: He's an asshole, but you'll get used to it.
Kevin Hickey yes
" Cream rises to the top" So does scum.
"Only God can judge me" - What? Don't you think you should be responsible for your actions now and not when you die? When I see someone with this tattooed, I instantly assume they are stupid.
“Only God can judge”- well mate, why aren’t you worried?
I used to tell my buddy for just about every single little common cliché' there is often a quite opposite one that is equally as popular. - a stitch in time saves nine / if it ain't broke, don't fix it - good things come to those who wait / early bird gets the worm - a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush / nothing ventured, nothing gained etc etc.
I hate 'you can't buy health'. You can buy better food, better environment to live at(better place to live), better vitamin, better health care, etc. Yes, health itself maybe not, bit definitely better chances to overcome whatever comes at you.
'Boys will be boys'
Yes! And telling little girls “he’s being mean to you because he likes you!”
TrashPandaru easy
TrashPandaru like
Welcome to the wonderful world of toxic positivity, brought to you by the American Experience.
'Love is love' or 'All love wins' or phrases like that. Unless of course it's paedophilia. 'Be true to yourself'/'Follow your dreams' - unless of course you are a serial killer or you dream of wiping out another race. 'Shoot for the moon, if you miss you'll be among the stars' - no, you'll probably be in crippling debt from all the money invested in following your dream - shoot for the moon, but have a parachute and a fall back position.
I personally find "you cant have your cake and eat it too" really daft. Whats the point of cake ifnot to scoff it...
If you eat your cake, you don’t have it anymore. You literally cannot do both.
"Love yourself" You know it's pretty hard for people like me to just love ourselves. Our brains will always see ourselves as pure trash until we change and become who we want to be. Words cannot change the way we think about ourselves. The way other people think about us cannot change the way we think about ourselves.
Wow... axioms, idioms clichés and proverbs are very different from random sh*t people say. And these people spent way too much time thinking of ways to tear the hypothetical down.
Another one that people get wrong is "blood is thicker than water". The original was "The blood of the covenent is thicker than the water of the womb", which means pretty much the opposite of what people usually mean when they trot out the shortened version.
Anything involving the word 'Passion'. I now refuse to apply for jobs that say 'Your passion is inspiring the citizens of tomorrow to think critically etc etc etc'. The school I see advertising a job like that is going to get anthrax in the mail and a copy of Epictetus.
Anna McHugh no
No one included “The cream always rises to the top.” As in, if you’re really good enough, you’ll succeed without any support, and despite all the misfortunes and crap that life throws at you. Not true. In reality, s**t also rises to the top, and it can choke you.
4 and 7 are the same.
I don't know if it is only me but motivational talks demotivate me tremendously.
You aren't alone. I can't listen to that all warm fuzzy bull s**t.
Don't worry, I know you can do it! Believe in yourself! You can avoid all motivation if you set your mind to it! >:)
I love being able to cut the video and mute myself now that all meetings are via Zoom, for that very reason.
Nah mate... you're not alone! I always avoid "motivational videos" and such things
agreed. I always thin it must be SO annoying to have everybody just give you quotes and say "You are worth it" Their trying but it ALMOST NEVER helps
Right. It seems so fake.
Mostly it just p*sses me off..
Was on project, $25k/hr in consultants and management. They had a team building consultant come in for 4 hours doing touchy feeley exercises. People grouped up with their usual besties to compete. $100k later, net sum zero, we went back to work half a day further behind.
*sigh* to much motivational stuff for me. Ima go lay down
lma - laughing my ass..?
Ima. I say that too :D ima go get some groceries etc: I'm 'a/I am going to (gonna). It's a shorthand
no.... It's a made-up word I use. (btw that's an i, i m a :D)
I can't tell if I'm motivated or feeling depressed right now
Its both I think 😩 because same...
"sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me" Emotional abuse causes psychological wounds that take much longer to heal than a broken bone.
"Great minds think alike". The ending of this quote is "and fools seldom differ."
i really hate it when people say, "just ignore them, they're just doing it to get a rise out of you" a) do you have any idea how difficult it is to ignore them? and b) some people are just crap people
youshouldseemeinacrown no
what are you replying no to?
It’s super easy to ignore them if you know they’re just some embarrassingly dorky losers who are probably just jealous anyway.
maybe it's easy for you, but not for me
How about "the exception proves the rule" - WTF that supposed to ever mean?
Da fuq "da fuq" supposed to ever mean? Lol so cringey.
It means “what the fûck.” And “so cringe” is literally from the same slang era / family as Dafuq. Also you just cried openly to someone earlier about how you didn’t want them to lol, and look at you here doing it. Are you feeling down on yourself or something? You’re taking it out on people online.
hey, don't be criticizing!
How about proverbs that contradict each other: 1. Absence makes the heart grow fonder v. Familiarity breeds contempt. 2. Look before you leap v. He who hesitates is lost. 3. Every cloud has a silver lining v. The light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train. 4. Don't change horses in mid-stream v. A new broom sweeps cleaner. 5. Finish what you start v. Don't throw good money after bad. 6. Opposites attract v. Birds of a feather flock together. 7. Clothes make the man v. Don't judge a book by its cover. 8. Great minds think alike v. Fools seldom differ. 9. Haste makes waste v. Time and Tide waits for no man. 10. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth v. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.
1) Yeah, those are saying the same thing. 2) Don’t hesitate unnecessarily, but definitely don’t make an action without considering the consequences. 3) There’s a bright side and a dark side to every situation. 4) I don’t think those have much to do with each other, correct me if I’m wrong. 5) See 4 6) You have a point there. 7) The interior often impacts the exterior, but it’s good to look deeper. 8) Great minds will often analyze the situation and come to the same conclusion, whilst fools will all do the stupidest thing imaginable. 9) Similar to 2, don’t rush it, but don’t waste time. 10) Accept gifts politely, but examine it away from the giver.
Don't change horses in midstream is a reference to when people rode rather than drove, especially in rural places. sometimes a bridge would be washed out or there would just be a ford or crossing. if the water was deep or swift you wanted to stay on your horse. it basically means "choose the right time to switch gears/rides/change something in your life, don't do it in the middle of a dangerous situation." As fo the second part, I've never heard before, but I imagine it means "change can be beneficial..."
"He's a nice guy once you get to know him." Translation: He's an asshole, but you'll get used to it.
Kevin Hickey yes
" Cream rises to the top" So does scum.
"Only God can judge me" - What? Don't you think you should be responsible for your actions now and not when you die? When I see someone with this tattooed, I instantly assume they are stupid.
“Only God can judge”- well mate, why aren’t you worried?
I used to tell my buddy for just about every single little common cliché' there is often a quite opposite one that is equally as popular. - a stitch in time saves nine / if it ain't broke, don't fix it - good things come to those who wait / early bird gets the worm - a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush / nothing ventured, nothing gained etc etc.
I hate 'you can't buy health'. You can buy better food, better environment to live at(better place to live), better vitamin, better health care, etc. Yes, health itself maybe not, bit definitely better chances to overcome whatever comes at you.
'Boys will be boys'
Yes! And telling little girls “he’s being mean to you because he likes you!”
TrashPandaru easy
TrashPandaru like
Welcome to the wonderful world of toxic positivity, brought to you by the American Experience.
'Love is love' or 'All love wins' or phrases like that. Unless of course it's paedophilia. 'Be true to yourself'/'Follow your dreams' - unless of course you are a serial killer or you dream of wiping out another race. 'Shoot for the moon, if you miss you'll be among the stars' - no, you'll probably be in crippling debt from all the money invested in following your dream - shoot for the moon, but have a parachute and a fall back position.
I personally find "you cant have your cake and eat it too" really daft. Whats the point of cake ifnot to scoff it...
If you eat your cake, you don’t have it anymore. You literally cannot do both.
"Love yourself" You know it's pretty hard for people like me to just love ourselves. Our brains will always see ourselves as pure trash until we change and become who we want to be. Words cannot change the way we think about ourselves. The way other people think about us cannot change the way we think about ourselves.
Wow... axioms, idioms clichés and proverbs are very different from random sh*t people say. And these people spent way too much time thinking of ways to tear the hypothetical down.
Another one that people get wrong is "blood is thicker than water". The original was "The blood of the covenent is thicker than the water of the womb", which means pretty much the opposite of what people usually mean when they trot out the shortened version.
Anything involving the word 'Passion'. I now refuse to apply for jobs that say 'Your passion is inspiring the citizens of tomorrow to think critically etc etc etc'. The school I see advertising a job like that is going to get anthrax in the mail and a copy of Epictetus.
Anna McHugh no
No one included “The cream always rises to the top.” As in, if you’re really good enough, you’ll succeed without any support, and despite all the misfortunes and crap that life throws at you. Not true. In reality, s**t also rises to the top, and it can choke you.
4 and 7 are the same.