There’s a set of sayings that go:
Never get in a ______ match with a ______
In other words, don’t try to beat them at their own game.
For the life of me, I can’t think of any. Please help!
From here.
Slightly different sentiment, but I’ve always liked “Never try to teach a pig to sing - it wastes your time and annoys the pig.”
I’ve always heard it as “Never get in a wrestling match with a pig. You both get dirty, and the pig likes it.”
SC
On relations with the press:
“Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel.”
Never get in a zebra-eating contest with a lion?
Never get in a pollen-collecting contest with a bee?
Never get in a ant-eating contest with an anteater?
Never get in a brain-eating contest with the living dead?
Never get in a laughing contest with a hyena?
Never get in a thread-posting contest with Eve?
I give up.
Completely different sentiment, spoken by Mark Twain.
Never go up against a Sicilian when Death is on the line. Ha ha ha ha hahahaha clunk.
Never get in a pissing contest with a beer drinker.
Never get into a farting contest with a lactose intolerant.
This doesn’t have anything to do with your adage… I’m just saying don’t do it.
“Never get involved in a land war in Asia” cautions against playing a game where the other side has a distinct advantage (specifically, where the field of play is amazingly hostile to visitors come winter). From The Princess Bride.
“Never bring a knife to a gun fight” cautions against entering into a dispute with an opponent who is better prepared, or more willing to escalate the situation against you. Most commonly quoted from The Untouchables, screenplay dialogue by David Mamet.
“Don’t try to bullshit a bullshitter” means that if you try to use someone’s own trick against them, you will almost certainly fail: they spend their time worrying about all of the flaws in their plan, and will exploit the same flaws in your plan instantly and without remorse. That’s one I learned from my Dad. It’s common in the American south.
Before getting into a pissing match, you should consider your beer supply and the condition of your own prostate. --Oliver Faltz
Never get in a shouting match with a cheerleader. --Oliver Faltz
Never get into a sleeping bag with a cat. --Nott, examining the lacerations on his leg
The one I’ve always heard was:
“Never get in an a**-kicking match with a porcupine.”