It seems that for every really pithy, truthful-seeming aphorism, there’s an opposite, and I figure if there isn’t a book illustrating this, omeone’s missing the boat. But IS there such a book? Or at least website?
There are various webpages about this:
I would guess that a book focused on these contradictory proverbs (such as “nothing ventured, nothing gained” as compared with “better safe than sorry”) would go over like a lead balloon.
And that’s because though Man Is The Animal Who Self-Justifies, we don’t really care to acknowledge that tendency. We’re all “pay no attention to the rationalizing man behind the curtain.” Pointing out that the pretexts (in proverbial form) we’ve been offering for our choices are not really Eternal Truths after all, but instead merely made-to-order excuses, will not win an author any kudos.
That’s my guess, anyway.