9 contradictory pairs of ideas!
I love playing with words…with ideas! And here are some pairs of contradictory, possibly, thoughts for you to choose from!
1. Out of sight out of mind, or…absence makes the heart grow fonder?
2. Too many cooks spoil the broth, or…many hands make light work?
3. Look before you leap, or…he who hesitates is lost?
Still more!
4. It’s better to be safe than sorry, or…nothing ventured, nothing gained?
5. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, or… you’re never too old to learn?
6. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today, or…don’t cross the bridge until you come to it?
7. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, or…silence is golden?
8. Hitch your wagon to a star, or…
don’t bite off more than you can chew?
And, finally…
11. Don’t judge a book by its cover, or…clothes make the (wo)man?
Can you think of other contradictory sayings?
Do any of these especially “speak” to you?
6 Comments
Wow. Context is everything with these things! Our family is quite excellent at holding contradictory beliefs simultaneously, without going crazy. I guess it’s a sort of ‘Is it a particle or a wave? It depends on who is looking at it’.
About those many cooks in the kitchen, however! Yikes. That’ll be one odd soup for sure. Though I’d sure like all their help with packing for a move!
You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink! I used to hear this a lot.
Boy, I heard all of the ones you posted growing up!
Linda, in trying to come up with a contradictory saying to your leading a horse to water, the closest I’ve come is “Don’t cast your pearls before swine.” Maybe someone else can come up with one!
First. Why not to iron your four-leaf clovers ? Answer, don’t press your luck. Back to your project, I go with number 5. You are never too old to learn – not a believer of can’t teach old dog new tricks. Keep finding things to learn – read books, watch kids, observe nature, look for other answers to questions, stay after it. If you keep looking, won’t be the old guy. ( Don’t judge a person until you walk a mile in their shoes – or – when you meet another person, look over their shoulder and accept the person’s path that got them to you – an idea of mine. ) Your project this time gets me really considering stuff.
Earl, I really like your idea of looking over the shoulder of the person you meet to accept the path that got them to you!
Hi there – Love these pairs of contractions! A pair of favourites during my younger days was: “Great minds think alike” and “Fools seldom differ” 🙂