130Kviews
30 People On Reddit Respond To The Viral “What Popular Saying Is Actually Nonsense” Thread
"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
This post may include affiliate links.
"Money can't buy happiness."
Poverty can't buy anything.
Yep. This is the highest order of bullshittery. Money may not buy happiness but it will definitely buy comfort to make me forget about my miseries.
"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.
Yes they matter, the real truth to this saying is that not everyone finds the same things attractive.
"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.
I think that's an untrue quote too. if you want something good you have to work for it.
"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.!
I hate when people use this one. Although I still agree you don’t need to have a degree to be a successful entrepreneur. But not everyone wants to be an entrepreneur. There’s no such thing as a college dropout surgeon.
“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.
Recently someone told me a string of these statements. The underlying message, it will never happen to her. So, God let me have cancer; because of previous trauma, he knew I could handle it? The God I pray to is compassionate, loving, forgiving, and loves me. Nothing happens for reason, really? Explain cancer, abusive parents, and the rest. Yes I am stronger from surviving all it, so I deserve more? Her smug smile said she believed this was the appropriate response, she was being supportive, and kind. I was speechless. It is was a reminder of how painful words from a stranger can be. A skill I do not want or admire (Cancer was not traumatic, only stage 2, death was not an issue, the months of treatment were just annoying. I cried once. The doctors thought I was brave, I wasn't. My tears, frustration and anger were already used up.)
"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.
Telling a depressed person that they just need to exercise and drink water will only add to their guilt. Sometimes, they just need antidepressants.
"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.
I love my sleep. Anyone who believes these can GTFO and turn off the lights on the way out. Please and thank you. PS: Don't forget the door.
You don't need money to be happy.
Usually this quote is being used by those who are already filthy rich
Money buys food. A full belly feels much better than a hallow aching one. Not everyone sleeps in a bed. Some by choice, others due to circumstances they have no control of. Clean clothes that fit are wonderful. Worrying constantly about having money to pay bills is miserable. No health care! The list goes on. People's life's can be fundamentally changed with a larger fair income. Those with money do not want part with it. They can never have enough and have the power to change the rules to help them keep it. They need lots of money to be happy.
"Violence is never the answer."
It isn't usually the answer. But occasionally...it really is.
Sometimes, it is. My friends and I used to get bullied by this group of boys in middle school (they targeted one girl in particular). One day, we were playing card games when two of them sat next to us, uninvited, and the rest stood by the table, blocking us in. They started making fun of us and being asses, but we tried to ignore them and continued playing, so they took our cards, threw them everywhere and even started tearing them up. The 'ringleader' had sat next to me, and idk WHAT possessed me to do it, but I promptly turned around and SLAMMED his head into the wall as hard as I could. He and his buddies started calling me crazy but they scrambled away, and they left us alone after that.
"A watched pot never boils."
It does, I've checked.
“If you tell me the truth you won’t get into trouble”
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.
It is a quote from Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, and it is related to being from an underprivileged group. It also does not mean that a person can do anything and then ask for forgiveness. It means that, when a person sees that an important action needs to be taken, they should do it, and not wait for permission. It does NOT mean that you should "borrow" your neighbor's Lamborghini for a joy ride, and then apologize.
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
'What goes around, comes around.'
I've seen so many good, honest people get screwed over by toxic, immoral people who never get their comeuppance. The concept of karma is [bullcrap].
Sometimes karma needs a kick in the butt -- don't just wait for something to happen. Make a call, talk to people, help someone when you know what to do. It can still be karma. You can be that karma.
Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me
yeah, like if someone's abusive... the emotional wounds from the words will last longer then any physical wounds.
"The early bird gets the worm" - um....no? Sleep cycles differ. There's quite a lot of research about that. Morning persons are not automatically more productive
Good for the bird; death for a worm. But who wants to live on worms?
Whatever happens, happens for a reason
Thing is, the reason has no obligation to be relevant, interesting, or important.
Time heals all wounds.
Malarkey.
Nope, wounds can fester and grow. Every time it happens, the scabs are ripped off. It worsens. A priest told me I must forgive, but it doesn't mean I should hang out with them. Phew. "I am sorry" are magic words, not used often enough. It isn't time that heals but acknowledging, accepting --- owning your mistake. Admitting it wasn't the right thing to do. Chronic, never ending medical problems, the death of a loved one are painful experiences. Time doesn't make a difference.
Blood is thicker than water. Wanna know what else is thicker than water? [Bullcrap].
The full saying is, "the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb." It is saying that the relationships you choose are stronger than relationships of birth.
"Do what makes you happy" in regards to searching for a career.
Because I have come to find that people tend to not be passionate about their jobs. Sure, there are some who enjoy it but it isn't something they're passionate about. I personally believe that any hobby you turn into a necessity kills your love for said hobby, of course it's not true for everyone but it's true for me and apparently a lot of people who have commented about their experiences. In the end, you'll either land a job you are passionate about in which you'll be the lucky few or you'll land a job you won't be passionate about and feel like you failed because you aren't passionate about your job. I would prefer the saying "do what you find tolerable and use the money to pursue what you actually love". Also some passions cannot be turned into careers and some people just don't have passions, my passion for running isn't something I can make a reliable income with. That's something else I recognized as I remember lots of people in my HS did not know what to pursue after HS because they did not have any passions in any fields or in general.
I have to say that my job makes me very happy. I honestly love what I do and it doesn't feel like work. It fuels my soul and finances my passions.
'Never judge a book by its cover' as someone who works in a bookshop - you're damn right I'm gonna judge the quality of a book by its production. As do most customers. I have gotten insights into the world of publishing and the decisions they make based on the quality and success of the product they are pushing.
For instance - an author just starting out? The catchy title of the book is going to be the biggest text on the book. The author has brought out 3-4 books that are proving succesful? The text size of their name is going to be equal to the title. Ian Rankin or Kate Atkinson? Their name is going to be the biggest text on that cover because that's what draws customers in. I remember chatting to James Oswald who said 'I knew I had made it when my name got bigger'
Our Scottish buyer is very good at sniffing out underdog books. Books that are incredibly well-written, but haven't got the recognition they deserve, and she will discuss with the publisher about changing the cover of the book to reflect this. Suddenly huge boosts in sales.
When a customer is looking for an obscure title, and I look it up, I can almost immediately tell if its a low quality independent publication by the way the cover looks.
Disclaimer - much like with the underdogs, there are ALWAYS exceptions to rules. And it is definitely not always the case that a low quality looking book is necessarily a bad read. It's just often an indication of a first time or unpublished author, who hasn't had a chance to hone their craft yet.
I'm an author, and my rule of thumb is when you're choosing publishers to approach, look at the quality of their book covers. A good cover means they care about what they're doing, and will therefore likely put just as much effort into every other aspect of getting your book into good shape and on the shelves. Also, really cheap, ugly-looking covers often mean the publisher has no money.
What you don’t know can’t hurt you , while yes it’s technically true it’s also not a positive thing , theoretically if someone’s partner was cheating on them yes they don’t know so they can’t be hurt but it’s still a bad thing
Probably means you can't feel bad about something you don't know, but things can still hurt you . . . like missing a sign saying BRIDGE OUT.
Opposites attract.
They don’t. Birds of a feather flock together, on the other hand, is usually true for relationships.
Opposites are a curiosity. But having more things in common makes for stronger bonds.
Everything is fair in love, war and game.
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”
It’s not.
Wanting a relationship with my mother is not realistic. Any gesture of kindness or love opens the door for the torrent of criticism. Do I keep trying? Yes. Does every new rejection hurt less or more? Oh, so much more. Every doctor, including my oncologist, begged me to end all communication with her. How strong is the desire to please a parent? When will I accept I have been been her emotional crutch my entire life? I believe my depression intensifies the problem. Or vice versa. Many aspects in our life follow a similar pattern. We are told not to give up, to be strong, when fact giving up is the best thing to do.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Coworkers say this when other coworkers start stonewalling you, death staring you, and becoming visibly uncomfortable in your presence.
I don't know if it is only me but motivational talks demotivate me tremendously.
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
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.
"He's a nice guy once you get to know him." Translation: He's an asshole, but you'll get used to it.
"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.
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.
'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...
"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.
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.
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.
I don't know if it is only me but motivational talks demotivate me tremendously.
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
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.
"He's a nice guy once you get to know him." Translation: He's an asshole, but you'll get used to it.
"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.
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.
'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...
"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.
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.
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.
