# "This is why we can't have nice things!" - Phrase origin? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 11, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-phrase-origin/480843 "2009-01-11T23:00:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-phrase-origin/480843/1 "2009-01-11T23:00:32Z")
Where did this phrase come from? It sounds like something any mother might say, but it’s become something of a meme in the last few years. Does it have a specific origin? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-phrase-origin/480843/2 "2009-01-11T23:05:11Z")
I thought it came from the Simpsons (said by Marge or Lisa) but Google doesn’t seem to be backing that up. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-phrase-origin/480843/3 "2009-01-11T23:21:15Z")
I’m assuming it didn’t originate with my mother, but it \*definitely \*pre-dates the Simpsons. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-phrase-origin/480843/4 "2009-01-11T23:42:18Z")
My father used to yell it back in the '50s . . . if that’s any help. ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-phrase-origin/480843/5 "2009-01-11T23:44:44Z")
I remember it from a Paula Poundstone bit where she talked about breaking a Flintstones jelly jar/glass and her mom yelling “this is why we can’t have nice things!” I think it’s one of those weird things that people say. I say it myself as a joke usually, because of that reference. i.e. I’ve been reusing some container of hummus or dip and it finally just dies–Me: Well, I guess we just have nice things. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-phrase-origin/480843/6 "2009-01-12T02:14:11Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I thought it came from the Simpsons (said by Marge or Lisa) but Google doesn’t seem to be backing that up. Lisa said it when Homer almost broke Linguo but as others have pointed out, this probably wasn’t the first time it was said. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-phrase-origin/480843/7 "2009-01-12T04:44:35Z")
Adam, while holding a half eaten apple. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-phrase-origin/480843/8 "2009-01-12T04:49:14Z")
I remember an episode of Malcolm In The Middle where their mom shouted that after the family got into one of their typical misadventures. By the sounds of it though, she wasn’t the first one to say it. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-phrase-origin/480843/9 "2009-01-12T14:36:48Z")
I remember hearing this often as a child in the late 70s. (which is to say I broke a lot of nice things) ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-phrase-origin/480843/10 "2009-01-12T14:53:09Z")
Mike & the 'Bots used it in their viewing of This Island Earth, I think - but I’m certain that it predates them. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-phrase-origin/480843/11 "2009-01-12T15:17:26Z")
> [@BrassyPhrase](#): > > I think it’s one of those weird things that people say. I say it myself as a joke usually, because of that reference. I agree with this that it’s one of those things that people say. Though I don’t think it’s that weird or suprising that people might say it. Kids are notorious for breaking things - always have been. They don’t learn to pay attention to their surroundings until they’re older. Or even if they do, they don’t understand the value (sentimental or cash) of said nice things. When I was little, it took me a while to understand that not everything is easily replaceable. After all, if I tore my pants, I got more, didn’t I? So why isn’t that Dresden figurine I chipped just as easy to replace? After all, it’s just a ceramic doll. Generalization: if you’ve got young, active or even just curious children in your house and you expect to showcase breakables on easy-to-reach shelves, unless the kids are remarkably well behaved and disinterested in pretty, shiny things, you can’t have nice things. At least not for long. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-phrase-origin/480843/12 "2009-01-12T15:24:33Z")
There’s a funny scene in _Jane Austin’s: Mafia_, where Jay Mohr’s character is arguing with Pepper, his wife, and she starts throwing things at him – lamps, ashtrays – then she picks up the dog and throws it at him, which he ducks as it shatters all over the place saying … “This is why we can’t have nice things.” That was 1998. So no origin, but since we’re just mentioning where we heard it … there you go.