general Phrases That Don't ACTUALLY Make Any Sense/Aren't Helpful

[Troblems 5,608]

This topic is still pure gold, and should be protec at all cost. F to pay my respects. 

Anyway, some that were already mentioned but need to be reiterated on. Telling me to smile is going to get a pretty vitriolic response. The reason for that is that being told to smile is usually (not always, but usually) aimed at women, and the rest of the sentence is “you would be so much prettier if”. 

Another one from my mother in law that’s also already been mentioned: I’ll pray for you. She says this constantly, and usually when shit is hitting the fan. I don’t need prayer, I need a solution. Maybe we could brainstorm together to fix it. No? Okay thanks, prayers are cool too I guess.

[Steve Piranha 28,752]

“Some people are having it worse”

”Just ignore the bullies”

yeah, those gems work 

[Sazama Ichida 2,352]

3 hours ago, Steve Piranha said:

“Some people are having it worse”

”Just ignore the bullies”

yeah, those gems work 

First one has already been said.

But the second one yes. That can work. But not if they're doing something that's impossible for you to ignore like taking advantage of your phobias or your hyper sensitivity to things that you have because of your mental disorder. (And yes I've had to deal with ones who were that cruel back in Elementary and High School...)

[The Recherche 29,965]

"Good things come to those who wait."

This is almost always incorrect. No, good things come to those who act. Outside of sheer luck, almost nothing in your life will change if you merely wait. One minor adjustment could make this expression much more accurate and helpful, however:

"Good things come to those with patience."

This has the same general principal, but it does not (even if indirectly) endorse passiveness in your daily life.

[Twilight Luna 30,917]

“It’s always in the last place you look.”

well, duh! 

[vivishy 1,032]

One I have heard a lot in my lifetime is "Why don't you talk more?" long story short I was a quiet kid in school so I would hardly say anything to anyone I less it was a teacher. I just didn't have anything worse saying to my fellow classmates.

[Here No Longer 5,270]

"A penny for your thoughts"

Keep your penny. 

[Messy Mane 9,006]

"Only God can judge me."

Not really a fan of this phrase.I've heard everyone just use it as a way to justify the shitty actions they do/did.

[Will Guide 21,325]

On 12/7/2018 at 8:47 PM, ~Dusky~ said:

"Don't try just do..."

How exactly am I supposed to do EVERYTHING without trying?

And this is why I find Yoda crazy for saying "Do or do not. There is no try"

That and Inside Out proves Fear is important and not necessarily the "path to the dark side" as Yoda claims. Because Without Fear, you're likely to do things that will get you killed. And without (the proper amount of) anger to help you stand up when things are unfair, you're likely going to be taken advantage of and stepped all over.

[Steve Piranha 28,752]

12 minutes ago, Will Guide said:

And this is why I find Yoda crazy for saying "Do or do not. There is no try"

That and Inside Out proves Fear is important and not necessarily the "path to the dark side" as Yoda claims. Because Without Fear, you're likely to do things that will get you killed. And without (the proper amount of) anger to help you stand up when things are unfair, you're likely going to be taken advantage of and stepped all over.

Yeah, it’s a cliche mindset that fear, anger, and hate are inherently negative, but all in a healthy measure are beneficial 

[Will Guide 21,325]

"We have nothing to fear but fear itself"

Again, fear is an important thing to have. Without fear, you can do something really stupid like jump from a plane without a parachute.

Edited March 7, 2019 by Will Guide
Fear's importance

[Floppy Snow 279]

"Love comes when you expect it the least."

I heard this all my life and still today. Really similar to "Good things come to those who wait." quoted by @The Recherche. Is the aim to wait all one's life to find happiness by some magical event? 

[Here No Longer 5,270]

2 hours ago, Floppy Snow said:

"Love comes when you expect it the least."

I heard this all my life and still today. Really similar to "Good things come to those who wait." quoted by @The Recherche. Is the aim to wait all one's life to find happiness by some magical event? 

It works better than the alternative. Honestly, I've found the statement to be pretty much true in my personal experience...

Edited March 8, 2019 by ~Dusky~

[Fluttershutter 2,114]

Most of them really.

I really hate: "If I can do it you can do it." If you can do it obviously you can do it. That has no bearing on whether I can do it. Maybe I can, maybe I can't.

Edited March 9, 2019 by Fluttershutter

[Anneal 2,194]

On 3/7/2019 at 1:48 PM, Will Guide said:

"We have nothing to fear but fear itself"

Again, fear is an important thing to have. Without fear, you can do something really stupid like jump from a plane without a parachute.

 

To be fair, in the context of FDR's inauguration speech, it makes more sense. He clarifies that he believes that fear is ultimately a "nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance", and during the darkest hour of the Great Depression, what is most needed is hope and resolve. It seems like a lot of the other phrases that "don't make sense" on here are either because people are taking it too literally or out of context of what the original intention of the phrase is meant to be. 

[Brony Number 42 9,900]

Basically everything that Yoda says.

[Will Guide 21,325]

33 minutes ago, BronyNumber2 said:

Basically everything that Yoda says.

Would you like to elaborate on one phrase?

[Brony Number 42 9,900]

44 minutes ago, Will Guide said:

Would you like to elaborate on one phrase?

Do or do not. There is no try.

[Will Guide 21,325]

11 minutes ago, BronyNumber2 said:

Do or do not. There is no try.

 I brought that up myself earlier in this topic

[Brony Number 42 9,900]

14 minutes ago, Will Guide said:

 I brought that up myself earlier in this topic

Oh yeah, I saw that.

[Will Guide 21,325]

20 minutes ago, BronyNumber2 said:

Oh yeah, I saw that.

Know any other unhelpful Yoda Quotes?

[Here No Longer 5,270]

"You can't have your cake and eat it too"

 

Why would you want a cake if you WEREN'T going to eat it anyways? If any inferences can't be made from that, You CAN have your cake and eat it too. PEOPLE DO IT ALL THE TIME!

[Anneal 2,194]

That being said, there are some phrase that I do believe try too hard to be profound or deep and are in fact trivial or nonsensical.

"Nothing is both real and imaginary" is in its literal sense true (0 is both a real and imaginary number), but from a philosophical standpoint, it would mean that there was a distinction between reality and illusion. Both are trivial and therefore this phrase is not particularly helpful. 

"Improbable things happen all the time" is another phrase some people use to dismiss when something is unlikely to work. It's true in its most technical sense, but ultimately trivial, and it doesn't mean that particular person will be able to experience that one particular improbable event, whether it's winning the lottery or getting lucky sevens on the slot machines. 

[Brony Number 42 9,900]

Ok ok

8 hours ago, Will Guide said:

Know any other unhelpful Yoda Quotes?

Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

[Will Guide 21,325]

1 hour ago, BronyNumber2 said:

Ok ok

Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

Heh, I pointed that out too, 

Edited March 10, 2019 by Will Guide