# Most completely false cliche/aphorism **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 6, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957 "2010-01-06T21:00:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/81 "2010-01-07T22:55:15Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > I think you just punched a bunch of geeks in the rhetorical gut. What a depressing view. Sorry. Feel free to say “Tosh, **Mal**. That’s just you”. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/82 "2010-01-07T23:06:02Z")
> [@Johnny\_Angel](#): > > Yes, that is the actual problem, whatever I might think of the expression itself. Yet, the emphasis on the single step does lend itself to the very abuse I complained about. Moreso, say, than the expression “Water drops hollow stone, not by strength but by persistence.” But of course, I’m sure someone has already abused the hell out of that one. And on from night to morning the world runs ruinward. I still think you are reading it in an unusual manner. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/83 "2010-01-08T04:47:43Z")
“I think that we may safely trust a good deal more than we do” said Henry David Thoreau. Does that mean you trust the tires on your car or other people, Hank? “Trust me.” “I trust my son to handle my finances.” “I trust my SO to never cheat on me.” “I trust my husband of 40 years will never leave me for a young bimbo.” I think you can hope, yeah, put your trust in other humans - but I don’t think you should be surprised if they let you down. They are humans and imperfect, life throws curveballs, and you should always be aware of that and have a backup plan. As Dr. Laura Schlessinger used to say all the time, “Trust in Allah, but tie up your camel.” ---
**Author:** ![Avi\_Leidner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Avi\_Leidner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avi_Leidner)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/84 "2014-05-21T03:15:26Z")
_[rhetorical]_ “You’re just arguing semantics!” ---
**Author:** ![deregulated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7bcc69/32.png) [@deregulated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deregulated)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/85 "2014-05-21T04:32:53Z")
When gambling, the less you bet, the more you lose when you win. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/86 "2014-05-21T04:37:42Z")
“No one ever said on their deathbed ‘I wish I’d spent more time at the office.’” ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/87 "2014-05-21T10:17:17Z")
“That is not dead which can eternal lie”. Although it works for threads. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/88 "2014-05-21T10:31:31Z")
Napoleon was short for someone during his time. ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/89 "2014-05-21T10:37:29Z")
> [@Johnny\_Angel](#): > > Or ones that use nonsense to make a point, but people lose sight of the fact that it’s nonsense: > > _Give 110%._ Oh, yes. I hate this expression. Stupid, meaningless and infuriating. Actually, it makes me _less_ likely to believe you… ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/90 "2014-05-21T10:39:02Z")
^ Used once in the Harry Potter anthology, as I remember. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/91 "2014-05-21T12:44:06Z")
\*“All’s fair in love and war” – What a contemptible lie! \* - R.A.H. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/92 "2014-05-21T12:59:58Z")
“It takes a village to raise a child”: I’ve seen the kind of people raised by villages - give me a nuclear family any day. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/93 "2014-05-21T13:04:33Z")
_Zombies never come back to life…_ This thread is 4 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/94 "2014-05-21T13:20:26Z")
“It’s always darkest before the dawn” Nope, it’s getting light just before dawn. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/95 "2014-05-21T14:04:28Z")
“You can’t put a value on human life.” Bullshit, all we ever do is haggle over the price. (Cynical enough for ya? 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/96 "2014-05-21T15:13:38Z")
“God never gives you more than you can handle.” I’ll borrow Heinlein’s answer - “What a contemptible lie.” ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/97 "2014-05-21T17:53:33Z")
“If you can dream it, you can achieve it.” Sheeya, right. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/98 "2014-05-21T21:24:04Z")
> [@Manwich](#): > > Everything happens for a reason. Oh, man. I want to go absolutely postal on people who babble that choice little piece of horseshit. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/99 "2014-05-21T21:52:02Z")
> [@](#): > > For, gentles all, beauty sits most closely to them it can construe. No, it doesn’t! ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2014, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957/100 "2014-05-22T02:26:08Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Yeah. I have a friend who has screwed up his life pretty bad and has been in the same bad place for literally years. Every time I talk to him, he tells me how hard he is trying to make things better- he’s trying to find a job, he’s trying to do art, he’s trying to get a life. I finally had to tell him, “Dude, trying counts for nothing. Either you do it or you don’t.” Sometimes in life, results are what matters. That, I think is what Yoda was getting at. There aren’t any points for trying, only for succeeding- as in, you either win, or you lose, and there’s no middle ground. Of course, this is subject to the conditions of success; not everything is binary after all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-completely-false-cliche-aphorism/523957.md?page=6)