I’ve been thinking about some of the great quotes and sayings in American culture. These are the one that everyone knows and uses, even to the point of them becoming cliche. Yet we return to them time and time again because they’re so ingrained in our psyche, so useful, so wise, and so…wrong.

Yep. There’s a pretty good chance that many of the nuggets of wisdom that we’ve all been saying for years don’t actually mean what we think they mean. At least, they weren’t intended to. Sometimes this comes from an erroneous translation of early text, or just a simple misquotation. Often, the original phrases have been butchered and whole bits left out, or they have been taken completely out of context. Whether this was done on purpose or not is left for the individual to decide, but as these sayings have been passed down through the years, the mistranslations stuck. Because of course they did.

So let’s look into a few of these popular quotes and collective wisdoms that fall into these categories and see if we can’t find a little of the original truth behind them, and maybe blow some minds as well. Sound fun? Cool. Let’s go.

–“Curiosity killed the cat.”
Sure. However (there’s always a “however”) the original statement was a little longer: “Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.” Kinda changes things, huh? Makes you feel better for the kitty-and also maybe not so guilty about exploring your own curiosity, and oh, I don’t know…maybe learning about the world and people around you? Pretty positive change if you ask me.

–“Rome wasn’t built in a day”.
True enough. There’s more though. How about this: “Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it burned in one.” this one dates back to a 16th Century French proverb, and puts an interesting spin on things.

–“The early bird catches the worm.”
Okay so, “The early bird catches the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.” Take that, you early risers! Kidding, of course. Nothing wrong with being an early bird, but being the first to do something doesn’t always bring you success or make you the best in your field. Especially if you’re a worm. This phrase first appeared in American newspapers in the early 1900s.

–“No rest for the wicked.”
This one is both a mistranslation and a misunderstanding. The original quote is from the Bible, Isaiah 15:21, which says: “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” Okay, so “rest” and “peace” are similar in meaning, but not interchangeable. The scripture is referring to inner peace and solace, not to a good night’s sleep. While both may be accurate, I have heard many people justify working too hard and losing sleep to their own detriment by using this misquote. Stop it. Take care of yourself physically and mentally. I think God might want that for you.

–“Money is the root of all evil.”
Another biblical misquote. What 1 Timothy 6:10 actually says is: “The love of money is a root of all sorts of evil.” Catch that difference? The Bible doesn’t say you should not have money-ya gotta live, right? It’s just that when your love of money overtakes other things, such as your family and your integrity-it’s a bad, bad thing. This also states that money is not the only cause of evil, but one of many. So, being rich doesn’t necessarily make you a bad person, but not being rich doesn’t automatically let you off the hook either. Pretty deep, huh?

–“The customer is always right.”
Here’s a fun one. The original saying is: “The customer is always right in matters of taste.” This has been credited to Harry Gordon Selfridge, circa 1900. The intention here being that if a customer wants to buy the most horrid shirt in the store, the salesperson should not stand in the way. It does not mean that anyone should put up with abusive or inappropriate behavior from a customer because said customer is “right.”
Now, don’t hear what I’m not saying. Customer disputes or complaints should absolutely be handled with kindness, patience, and grace. Preferably, a solution will be found that not only satisfies the customer, but also doesn’t hurt the business. Still, if a customer is pressuring to go against store policy, reasonable action, or the law (which happens more than you’d think), a line does need to be drawn, especially if the customer is a jerk. Be nice everybody.

–“Nice guys finish last.”
This one is a misquote from baseball manager and hall of famer Leo Durocher who, when referring to another team said that they were: “All nice guys. They’ll finish last.” This was simply a prediction, and a little spirited jab at a rival. That’s it, that’s all. It was never intended to claim that you couldn’t be nice and come out on top. Durocher even said as much in later interviews, but the public perception won out over time.

–“Great minds think alike.”
Well, you’re halfway right. The original phrase, as near as I can find, says: “Great minds think alike, though fools seldom differ.” I like this one, because it kind of turns the tables on what is essentially a banal idea disguised as a compliment, or more realistically, self-aggrandizing behavior. Next time some sheep on an ego trip tries to use this saying to ride your coattails, hit ’em with the second half!
Another meaning to be found here is this: just because the masses have the same opinions doesn’t mean they are correct, or well thought out. We live in an era of purposeful misinformation, opinions over facts, and constant manipulation. This full phrase is a warning to stay alert. I think we all need this advice now more than ever, don’t you?

–“There’s a sucker born every minute.”
All right, so this one isn’t misquoted, but it’s misattributed, which normally may not be to important but in this case I think it is. This phrase is normally attributed to P.T. Barnum, but he didn’t say it. It was said about Barnum by one of his competitors as a condemnation of his business tactics. Over time, the saying stuck with ol’ P.T., and has been used in two main ways.
Firstly, this phrase is used by greedy businessmen (boo!) to justify their own despicable, money grubbing behavior. It is also used by the public to describe the unfortunate souls who fall into the traps laid by said businesspeople who get ripped off and don’t see it coming. It is seldom if ever used as a critique of big corporations or greedy millionaires who came by their fortunes in questionable ways. Something’s amiss here, no? Well, perhaps that only proves the point.

–“An eye for an eye.”
Surprise! Here’s another Biblical quote that doesn’t mean what most people think. this one’s actually a twofer since there is a secular version too, but we’ll get to that in a moment.
The understanding of this doctrine is that if someone pokes out your eye, theirs should be poked out too. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. In modern terms, “let the punishment fit the crime.” As the phrase stands in the book of Leviticus, that is correct.
However (there’s another “however”) when one reads Matthew 5:38-44, and even on through verse 48, Jesus paints a different picture. To boil this all down, what Jesus says is that “You have heard it said an eye for an eye, but I say love your enemy.” That’s a paraphrase, I know, and it’s semi-hypocritical in the context of this particular blog post, but this is the meaning of the scripture’s passage.
Now, non-Christians may be confused by the importance of this, but a lot of what Jesus did when he came on the scene was not only explain the law to his followers, but also show them where they got it wrong, and how to correct their own behavior in context of his teachings. I believe that’s what’s going on here.
Just so this doesn’t turn into a sermon by a guy who is not a pastor, there is still that secular version to discuss, which is as follows: “An eye for an eye only makes the world go blind!” Which is pretty perfect, methinks.

–“Winning isn’t everything.”
This is often said as consolation after a failure, setback, or defeat. It is meant to encourage, to praise the effort involved, and help foster the learning and self growth that can come from these situations. All good things, certainly. The trouble is, that’s only taking half of the saying into account. the full saying is: “Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.” Kinda changes it all around, doesn’t it? Many people attribute this quote to Vince Lombardi (who did say it), but college coach Red Saunders was the originator. Either way, ouch guys. You need that intensity on game day I suppose, but it’s not a good theory to live your life by, though many people unfortunately do.

And finally,
–“Jack of all trades, master of none.”
Here’s another incomplete quote. The full quote is as follows: “Jack of all trades, master of none…though often times better than a master of one.” Shout out to all the handymen out there! Look, mastering your trade or profession can be a great thing, and props to anyone who has put in the study and work to do so. However (there’s that word again), it can lead to not only rigid thinking, but a sense of superiority as well. These two things can be a little dangerous. Sometimes you need people to think “out of the box,” be flexible enough to go along with whatever happens and do what’s necessary to get the job done. Believe it or not, experience can often mean more than a degree.

There you are, folks. I hope you found this all as interesting as I do, and that you’ve perhaps learned something, or at the least found a different way to look at the phrases you thought you knew. Keep your minds open. Be nice to each other, and be nice to you.

See you next week, MonDavers!