ometimes that well-worn adage doesn’t really mean what our literal-minded, text-focused, Google-driven world thinks it means. One reason this happens is that, quite simply, language evolves.

To further complicate matters, as with books, all too often the context of these popular wisdoms has been forgotten. Though these aphorisms may still contain some good advice, their original message is typically richer and more profound than our contemporary interpretation.

This Book is Banned proffers a few proverbs, sayings, and other pearls of wisdom that have been “unplugged,” as it were. We’ve rebooted, gone back-to-basics, and re-discovered their intended message. For example:
…

Pull Yourself Up By Your Bootstraps

We may not be sure what bootstraps actually are, but we know we’re supposed to stop whining, and pull ourselves up by them. These days, pulling yourself up by your bootstraps means to succeed on your own, through sheer will and hard work.

It’s a phrase that’s made the rounds on social media lately, when Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pointed out that pulling yourself up by your bootstraps is an impossible feat. And people really got steamed when she said “the whole thing is a joke.”[1] She took a lot of flak for saying that, but she’s absolutely right. The expression was indeed originally intended as sarcasm to describe an absurd and futile act.

Its earliest written documented use is from a Vermont newspaper in 1834, in response to one Nimrod Murphree’s claim to have discovered perpetual motion. The article bitingly speculated that Murphree could probably raise himself over “a barn yard fence by the straps of his boots” too.[2]
____________________________

[1] Mohamed, Theron. “‘It’s a physical impossibility to lift yourself up by a bootstrap’: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez argues everyone needs help to succeed.” Feb. 7, 2020. Businessinsider.com; AOC bootstrap meme.
[2] The Vermont Courier. Woodstock, Vermont. Oct. 3, 1834, pg 3.

______________________

Check out more unplugged proverbs, sayings, and other pearls of wisdom here.

.
#Aphorisms Unplugged

ometimes that well-worn adage doesn’t really mean what our literal-minded, text-focused, Google-driven world thinks it means. One reason this happens is that, quite simply, language evolves.

To further complicate matters, as with books, all too often the context of these popular wisdoms has been forgotten. Though these aphorisms may still contain some good advice, their original message is typically richer and more profound than our contemporary interpretation.

This Book is Banned proffers a few proverbs, sayings, and other pearls of wisdom that have been “unplugged,” as it were. We’ve rebooted, gone back-to-basics, and re-discovered their intended message. For example:
…

Go the Extra Mile.

These days, “go the extra mile” means making a special effort to achieve a particular goal. Or it’s dished out as advice to do more than is required, in order to impress our boss.

In its original context, however, “going the extra mile” isn’t simply a way to get ahead in a competitive world. It’s a biblical reference, specifically the Sermon on the Mount. Needless to say, at that point in history Israel was occupied by the Roman empire. And the admonition to go the extra mile is actually a call to engage in non-violent resistance against an occupying power, the kind Ghandi learned in his regular readings of the Gospels.[1]

Not surprisingly, Roman soldiers could impose forced labor on subject people, at any time, and on demand. Going the extra mile refers to the very common demand to carry a legionnaire’s kit. The law, however, limited this form of forced labor to a single mile. Compelling a civilian to carry a pack any further carried severe penalties under military law. So, if that civilian publicly insists on “going the extra mile,” it puts the soldier in the unexpected and very uncomfortable situation of having to plead with one of the vanquished to put down his pack.

When a civilian “goes the extra mile,” the power dynamic is reversed. The empire’s authority has been challenged. And it is accomplished without resorting to the violence that would only lead to arrest and likely execution.[2]  So, going the extra mile is actually an early version of “stick it to The Man.” And that’s a world away from urging someone to do more than is required in an effort to impress their boss.

__________________________

[1] Watson, Blanche. “Passive Resistance of Soul Force.” The Open Court. Volume 35, Issue 12. December 1921, 715.
[2] Wink, Walter. The Powers that Be: Theology for a New Millennium. (New York: Doubleday, 1998), 98-111.

Photo by Ilona Frey on Unsplash      https://unsplash.com/photos/hSliLYLmm-c

_______________________

Check out more unplugged proverbs, sayings, and other pearls of wisdom here.

.
#Aphorisms Unplugged

ometimes that well-worn adage doesn’t really mean what our literal-minded, text-focused, Google-driven world thinks it means. One reason this happens is that, quite simply, language evolves.

To further complicate matters, as with books, all too often the context of these popular wisdoms has been forgotten. Though these aphorisms may still contain some good advice, their original message is typically richer and more profound than our contemporary interpretation.

This Book is Banned proffers a few proverbs, sayings, and other pearls of wisdom that have been “unplugged,” as it were. We’ve rebooted, gone back-to-basics, and re-discovered their intended message.
…

Blood is thicker than water.

Your mom might have used this saying to explain why you have to take your little brother when you go to the movies with your buddies. You know, family relationships are more important than your friends. Well, you can tell your mom that the original meaning, which dates back about 3000 years, is exactly the opposite. On second thought, it might be a good idea to keep that information to yourself, at least until you’re grown.

These days we tend to interpret “blood” to mean bloodline, but that hasn’t always been the case. The full version of this wisdom is “the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.”[1] This understanding is frequently applied to the bond formed by soldiers who have fought on the battlefield together being stronger than a relationship you may have with someone simply because you’re siblings.[2]

But it also has to do with ancient blood rites found in every quarter of the globe. Some of these rituals, such as circumcision in the Abrahamic tradition, form a covenant with God. Others, like the clasping of lacerated hands as seen in Norseland sagas, form a “covenant of blood-friendship,” a relationship considered to be the most enduring and sacred of compacts.[3] The Araucanian people of South America are among a number of cultures that used animal sacrifice to enter into “blood-friendship.”[4]

Whatever part of the world we’re talking about, those in a covenant of blood-friendship were expected to not only give up their own lives for each other, they were also supposed to relinquish any other life they hold dear.  So yeah, the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb, in a serious sort of way. And there’s a whole lot more at stake than just having to take your little brother to the movies.
________________________________

[1] Halliwell, Nikki. Etymology Series: Part One-History of Proverbs.
[2] Jack, Shaggy Dogs and Black Sheep. (New York: Penguin, 2005), 95.
[3] Trumbull, H. C. The Blood Covenant. (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1885), 5, 42.
[4] Trumbull The Blood Covenant, 334; Smith, Edmond Reul. The Araucanians or notes of a tour among the Indian tribes of Southern Chili. (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1855), 261-2.

Image:
Museo nazionale romano di palazzo Altemps.
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grande_Ludovisi_Altemps_Inv8574.jpg

______________________

Check out more unplugged proverbs, sayings, and other pearls of wisdom here.

.

#Aphorisms unplugged

ometimes that well-worn adage doesn’t really mean what our literal-minded, text-focused, Google-driven world thinks it means. One reason this happens is that, quite simply, language evolves.

To further complicate matters, as with books, all too often the context of these popular wisdoms has been forgotten. Though these aphorisms may still contain some good advice, their original message is typically richer and more profound than our contemporary interpretation.

This Book is Banned proffers a few proverbs, sayings, and other pearls of wisdom that have been “unplugged,” as it were. We’ve rebooted, gone back-to-basics, and re-discovered their intended message. For example:
…

My country right or wrong.

This saying is frequently invoked as a testament of vigilant and aggressive patriotism. It was especially prevalent during the volatile years surrounding the Vietnam war, asserted in response to the arguments of those protesting that war. But, if the expression wasn’t intended to promote an all-or-nothing variety of patriotism, what does “my country right or wrong” mean?

Carl Schurz, a German-born senator and Civil War general, is typically credited with coining the phrase in 1872. The trouble is, we’re misusing Schurz’s famous saying. Yes, he did indeed declare “my country right or wrong.” But Schurz’s entire remark, made on the Senate floor, was “my country right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong to be set right.” And the applause that followed was deafening.

Schurz’s entire sentiment clearly reflects a more nuanced and participatory vision of patriotism than the abbreviated, version employed these days. Interestingly, Schurz’s declaration was in response to a challenge of his patriotism, levied by the Senator from Wisconsin with the same blunt, one-dimensional phrase so often used today.[1]
___________________________

Notes:

[1] Respectfully Quoted: A Dictionary of Quotations, 1989. #1641. https://www.bartleby.com/73/1641.html

Photo by Anthony Shane on Unsplash        https://unsplash.com/s/photos/american-flag

______________________

Check out more unplugged proverbs, sayings, and other pearls of wisdom here.

.
#Aphorisms Unplugged

ometimes that well-worn adage doesn’t really mean what our literal-minded, text-focused, Google-driven world thinks it means. One reason this happens is that, quite simply, language evolves.

To further complicate matters, as with books, all too often the context of these popular wisdoms has been forgotten. Though these aphorisms may still contain some good advice, their original message is typically richer and more profound than our contemporary interpretation.

This Book is Banned proffers a few proverbs, sayings, and other pearls of wisdom that have been “unplugged,” as it were. We’ve rebooted, gone back-to-basics, and re-discovered their intended message. For example:
.

Carpe Diem

This once obscure phrase from a dead language was launched into popular culture by the 1989 Robin Williams film, The Dead Poets’ Society. And now, it can be found everywhere, from spring break t-shirts, to Metallica songs, to the carpe diem tattoo on 81-year-old Judi Dench’s wrist. These days carpe diem conjures images of adrenaline junkies, instant gratification culture, and “get things done” types taking what they can get whenever they can get it.

The phrase was penned by the Roman poet Horace in 23 BCE, making it one of the oldest philosophical mottos in western culture.[1] Unfortunately, it’s also the most misinterpreted Latin tag ever.[2]  And there are a couple of reasons for that. First is the translation factor. Though Williams’ character interpreted carpe diem as “seize the day,” a more precise translation is to pluck, or harvest. [3]  This translation of carpe is not only less aggressive, it implies preparation for the future.

The second reason for misinterpretation is that carpe diem is a truncated version of the actual phrase. In its original context, Horace’s Odes 1.11, it is part of the longer carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero, which translates as “pluck the day, trusting as little as possible in the next one.”[4]

So, much to the chagrin of thrill seekers everywhere, carpe diem isn’t a call to ignore the future for some adrenaline boosting excitement today. What Horace means is that the best way to get the most out of life, or as Robin Williams put it “make [our] lives extraordinary,” is to do all we can, every day, to prepare for the future rather than leaving it to chance.[5]

_________________________

Notes:

[1] Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Carpe diem.” Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/topic/carpe-diem; Krznaric, Roman. “Reclaiming carpe diem: How do we really seize the day?” The Guardian.com. April 2, 2017.
[2]Barchiese, Alessandro. “Carmina: Odes and Carmen Saeculare.” In The Cambridge Companion to Horace. Edited by Harrison, Stephen. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007).
[3]Barber, Daniel. “Presence and the Future Tense in Horace’s Odes.” The Classical Journal. Vol. 109. No. 3 (February-March, 2014), 353; Knowles, Cora Beth. “Horace, Odes 1.11.” Classical Studies Support.  https://classicalstuddies.support
[4] Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Carpe diem.” Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2019.
[5] Harrison, Stephen. “Carpe Diem.” The Cambridge Companion to Horace. (Cambridge: Cambridge University press, 2012).

Image by Alexandre Brondino on Unsplash
https://unsplash.com/photos/0zyUEBAQQRg

__________________________

Check out more unplugged proverbs, sayings, and other pearls of wisdom here.

.
#Aphorisms Unplugged

ometimes that well-worn adage doesn’t really mean what our literal-minded, text-focused, Google-driven world thinks it means. One reason this happens is that, quite simply, language evolves.

To further complicate matters, as with books, all too often the context of these popular wisdoms has been forgotten. Though these aphorisms may still contain some good advice, their original message is typically richer and more profound than our contemporary interpretation.

This Book is Banned proffers a few proverbs, sayings, and other pearls of wisdom that have been “unplugged,” as it were. We’ve rebooted, gone back-to-basics, and re-discovered their intended message. For example:
______

Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of Happiness.

The unalienable rights listed in the Declaration of Independence. This phrase sounds like it means we have the right to do whatever makes us feel good. However, in the eighteenth century, the word happiness meant more than just doing your own thing. What it conveyed was the deeper, more significant concept of human flourishing. Though happiness was indeed seen as a private right, it was also understood as a public duty, to live an honorable and principled life in order to ensure that all members of society could flourish and thrive.[1] And that’s a far cry from permission to “just do you.”

__________________________

Notes:

[1] Conklin, Carli N. “The Origins of the Pursuit of Happiness.” Washington University Jurisprudence Review. Volume 7, Issue 2, 2015.

______ _______________________________

Check out more unplugged proverbs, sayings, and other pearls of wisdom here.

.
#Aphorisms Unplugged