# One of the greatest (but lesser known) useful bits of wisdom is... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 26, 2003, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603 "2003-10-26T02:52:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/61 "2003-10-30T13:03:13Z")
He who casts no shadow knows no shame. It is far better to wear out your slippers dancing than to have your feet cut off. The dog that bites you may have its reasons. The honking goose is soon spotted. The short man on horseback can look down on the tall man on the ground. The hand that turns the knob opens the door. It is far better to sit idle than to do nothing at all. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/62 "2003-10-30T13:31:54Z")
Everybody’s life has problems all the time. It’s a small price to pay for being alive. Any problem that can be solved by throwing money at it is a small problem. ---
**Author:** ![notquitekarpov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/63 "2003-10-30T13:37:44Z")
“Don’t let the bastards grind you down.” “It’s better to live on your knees than die on your feet.” (Catch-22) “I told you I wasn’t well.” (oh, sorry those were Spike Milligan’s last words…) ---
**Author:** ![lachesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@lachesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lachesis)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/64 "2003-10-30T19:23:25Z")
i always thought that was supposed to be “It is better to die on your feet than live on your knees.” guess it just depends on how stiff-necked you are about it. ummm… “That which does not kill me had better start running pretty damn fast.” ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/65 "2003-10-30T23:37:49Z")
Ony press the Submit Reply button once. Speel check your posts before submionttg. Preview your reply ibefore[/]i submitting. ---
**Author:** ![JohnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/848f3c/32.png) [@JohnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnM)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/66 "2003-10-31T00:22:32Z")
From Warren Zevon, Enjoy every sandwich. From the BSD 4.2 distro, You can tune a file system, but you can’t tunafish. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/67 "2003-10-31T00:24:50Z")
When you jump on a bus or train and there is ONE seat available in an otherwise overcrowded carriage, stop and ponder _before_ you park your bum there. There is generally a Very Good Reason [sup]TM[/sup] why the seat is vacant, often something to do with the bodily and other indeterminate odours wafting off the person sitting next to you. Learned THIS one the hard way about an hour ago. Geez, did the guy PONG…he obviously hadn’t seen a shower in months and months…ewwwwwwwwwwwww. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/68 "2003-10-31T01:42:48Z")
“The way I look at life is this: We’re all on the Hindenberg. There’s no point in arguing over the window seats”. ~Richard Jeni Wise man, Richard. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/69 "2003-10-31T02:20:51Z")
If you think getting old is hard, you should try getting young sometime. ---
**Author:** ![notquitekarpov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/70 "2003-10-31T08:26:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lachesis \* > \*\*i always thought that was supposed to be > “It is better to die on your feet than live on your knees.” > > guess it just depends on how stiff-necked you are about it. > \*\* I think you just fell into the same trap that Nately did in the source “Catch-22” I mentioned. Trust the elderly Italian whorehouse owner; it is much better to live on your knees than die on your feet if you are the one that has to do the dying. ---
**Author:** ![LadySybil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c89c15/32.png) [@LadySybil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LadySybil)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/71 "2003-11-04T23:43:05Z")
Never resist a perfect moment. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/72 "2003-11-04T23:58:54Z")
One I wish I’d known in high school: You know all that stuff you think is hideously embarrassing? Don’t sweat it. Everyone else is so wrapped up in their own little world of embarrassment that they don’t even notice yours. ---
**Author:** ![bleach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bleach/32/3106_2.png) [@bleach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bleach)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/73 "2003-11-05T06:02:49Z")
Don’t teach monkeys how to load and fire a weapon. ---
**Author:** ![Labor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Labor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labor)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/74 "2003-11-05T14:26:13Z")
Never run from a bank. Always carry a small swiss army knife. It will come in handy. When negotiating be silent for a few minutes. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/75 "2003-11-05T15:48:03Z")
Don’t carry an expensive pocketknife. You may have to surrender it at a security checkpoint. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/76 "2003-11-05T16:16:44Z")
Never live west of where you work. -My Dad. There is an art, it says, or rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. -Douglas Adams You can always trust a man that carries a pocket knife. -me ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/77 "2003-11-05T17:18:44Z")
Blind faith is no faith at all. God may have created the world in 7 days, but he wanted us to believe in Evolution. Hate nothing, don’t even hate hate. ---
**Author:** ![Wyatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b19c9b/32.png) [@Wyatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wyatt)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/78 "2003-11-05T18:26:42Z")
“Before things in Life Can be Better, they Have to be not the same.” – Scout Bartlett “Never walk on ice, with your hands in your pockets.” “You can learn to have your emotions, not ‘be’ them.” “If something someone else is doing is Really ticking you off, good chance it is something you are harsh with yourself about … or that you limit your own permission about” “If you sort the silverware into the dishwasher chambers, when you put it in, it is faster to put it away” “Cash goes through the washing machine fine, but be sure to get all the checks out of your pockets before you wash that garmet!” “Today is a Perfect day to have a Great day, on Purpose!” “Don’t put leather shoes near the heat vent to dry them!” “A bit of soap on a screw or nail will make it go in much easier.” “Squeeze a bit of air out of the bottles in your suitcase before you fly.” “Never leave pop-tarts in the toaster unattended.” “Never leave 2-year-olds near the toaster unattended.” “Be sure noone is near the switch, before working on a light fixture or garbage disposal.” “If you’re going to be so silly as to work on electrical items while the power is on, don’t have an audience.” “If the lawn mower won’t start on the third try, it’s time to do something else for a while.” ---
**Author:** ![Capcha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Capcha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capcha)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/79 "2003-11-05T18:36:33Z")
“You cannot choose the family you’re born into. But you can always choose who you’d want to be in it, be it blood related or not.” ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/80 "2003-11-05T19:19:33Z")
From various sources, with a few originals thrown in. - Never play frisbee in Assissi. - Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups. - You’re never too old to have a happy childhood. - Blessed is the man who can laugh at himself, for he shall never cease to be amused. - Change is not always a good thing. - A parent’s role is to prepare his/her child to face the world, not to shield them from it. - When you stop learning, you stop living. - You are what you fight for. - Diversify. When you focus too much on any one thing, you can no longer see the bigger picture. - Keep an open mind, but not so open that your brains fall out. - There is no such thing as 20/20 hindsight. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603.md?page=5)