# What are the meanings and origins of these phrases? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 16, 2012, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-meanings-and-origins-of-these-phrases/609648 "2012-01-16T01:34:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SDMBKL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdmbkl/32/7297_2.png) [@SDMBKL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SDMBKL)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-meanings-and-origins-of-these-phrases/609648/1 "2012-01-16T01:34:35Z")
“Be true to yourself.” “Be yourself.” (1) What is the meaning of each of these phrases? (2) What is the origin of each of these phrases? (3) Why are these phrases so popular in the mainstream American mass media? I am not sure _exactly_ what do they mean. It is possible that they can mean “Don’t worry about what others would think of you,” OR “Don’t lie to yourself,” OR “Don’t hide your true identity” in society. Which one?!? :smack::smack::smack: If anybody can give me an explanation about whether these quotes are “inspiring” or “just plain stupid”, then I would be so happy that I would you infinite smileys! ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-meanings-and-origins-of-these-phrases/609648/2 "2012-01-16T01:40:57Z")
The first one is what Polonius says to his son, Laertes, in Hamlet. He means, “Look out for your own interests first.” (It’s also the speech where he says, “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.”) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-meanings-and-origins-of-these-phrases/609648/3 "2012-01-16T01:41:43Z")
Let’s move this over to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-meanings-and-origins-of-these-phrases/609648/4 "2012-01-16T01:44:06Z")
I think that “Be true to yourself.” derives from the character Polonius in Hamlet. Many people may different ideas about the meaning. To me it means “Don’t be a phony”. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-meanings-and-origins-of-these-phrases/609648/5 "2012-01-16T01:45:55Z")
Now I have the song from that stupid episode of _Gilligan’s Island_ stuck in my head :mad:. Thanks a lot. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-meanings-and-origins-of-these-phrases/609648/6 "2012-01-16T04:32:41Z")
> [@SDMBKL](#): > > If anybody can give me an explanation about whether these quotes are “inspiring” or “just plain stupid”, then I would be so happy that I would you infinite smileys! I think Polonius’ speech “sounds” better in modern times than it was supposed to sound in the play. Within the play, he’s generally viewed as a kind of windbag, who pontificates to his son at this moment with tired advice that parents always gave to their children (“Spend your money wisely,” ect.), while Laertes just wants to get on the road and leave. The phrase, however, has come to nicely fit post-Elizabethan notions of individuality (“be yourself”), which didn’t exist at the time of the play, so it is now considered “inspiring.” ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-meanings-and-origins-of-these-phrases/609648/7 "2012-01-16T04:39:55Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > The first one is what Polonius says to his son, Laertes, in Hamlet. He means, “Look out for your own interests first.” (It’s also the speech where he says, “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.”) That’s not what the full quote implies: > [@](#): > > This above all: to thine own self be true, > And it must follow, as the night the day, > Thou canst not then be false to any man. It indicates that if you have integrity towards yourself, you will necessarily have integrity towards others. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-meanings-and-origins-of-these-phrases/609648/8 "2012-01-16T04:50:45Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > That’s not what the full quote implies: > > It indicates that if you have integrity towards yourself, you will necessarily have integrity towards others. In modern parlance, yes, but at that time (and in this context especially) “true,” and “false” referred to one’s financial behavior. The bulk of the speech, especially the lines directly preceding, is about money and spending habits: > [@](#): > > Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgement. > Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, > But not expressed in fancy; rich, not gaudy: > For the apparel oft proclaims the man; > And they in France of the best rank and station > Are most select and generous in that. > Neither a borrower, nor a lender be; > For loan oft loses both itself and friend, > And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. ---
**Author:** ![SDMBKL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdmbkl/32/7297_2.png) [@SDMBKL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SDMBKL)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-meanings-and-origins-of-these-phrases/609648/9 "2012-01-16T15:02:45Z")
I still do not understand why one should be true to oneself. First of all, how does one be true to oneself or be oneself, if one does not even know who one is in the first place? Second of all, the claim implies modern notions and value of individuality, but why is this individuality so valued? If individuality is valued, then how about collectivism? If a person strongly values collectivism over his own individuality, then would that person consider the quote to be absolutely meaningless or pointless or absurd? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-meanings-and-origins-of-these-phrases/609648/10 "2012-01-16T15:34:08Z")
In the sense of Hamlet, you can take “Be true to yourself” to mean “Be intellectually honest & rigourous in your thinking.” IOW, do not lie to yourself or permit yourself to fall into habits of wishful thinking. Which is and was damn good advice for the Ages. As to “be yourself”, it’s simply modern marketing speak. It means “be conformist by buying what we’re selling.” The key thing is the advert is carefully designed to show someone appearing to be special or not-one-of-the crowd. By conforming to that non-average idealized character you see in the ad, you’re simultaneously being special & being conformist. Which comports niceley with current USAian ideas of how best to live. Finally, in moderm marketing speak, “be true to yourself” is essentially just the long-winded highbrow version of “be yourself.” You are really, deep down inside, that vivacious confident good-looking winner shown in the ads for our product. So to fully be that person both inside and out, buy our product. It’s you being the real you; it really truly is. Just do it. Buy. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-meanings-and-origins-of-these-phrases/609648/11 "2012-01-16T17:48:27Z")
> [@SDMBKL](#): > > …Second of all, the claim implies modern notions and value of individuality, but why is this individuality so valued? … Keep in mind that society has not always had this concept of the “individual” that we have today. It’s a relatively new thing, and the idea of being true to oneself assumes the shape of the times and the current popular discourse. You are an individual on many levels–as a political animal, as a consumer and economic animal, as a social animal, and just as an animal, period. Your psychological existence is comprised of all these things, but they all vary according to the current state of society. So “individuality” becomes valued only in as much as it can be aligned to the agenda of whoever is talking about it at the moment. As **LSLGuy** aptly points out, for example, there is a version of “be true to yourself” in marketing, which essentially has come to simply mean “exercise your libido”–in other words, “Buy whatever toys you want–you are ordained to have them–because you are an ‘individual.’” All “Think Different” really meant was “Buy Apple products.” In fact, the whole appeal of Apple products for many people is precisely that you don’t have to think at all to get them to work. [QUOTE=LSLGuy] In the sense of Hamlet, you can take “Be true to yourself” to mean “Be intellectually honest & rigourous in your thinking.” [/quote] While I agree with this advice completely, I think Polonius was saying, “Don’t try to present yourself as someone you’re not, by dressing above your station, and borrowing money to run in circles that you don’t really belong to. Just take care of yourself as you can afford to.”