Unfortunate Implications

Sometimes we have a noble lesson that we wish to share with people. We may tie it into a story or we may just turn it into a saying and hope it catches on. This is a wonderful thing. But if you're going to do it, think it through. Sometimes even the most quotable quotes have unfortunate implications.

Consider the saying famously attributed to Abraham Lincoln: "It is better to be silent and thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

On its face, it's a good lesson. If you don't know what you're talking about, don't try to sound like you do; you'll end up with your foot in your mouth and everybody knowing it.

But is this really that great a policy? If you re silent and everybody thinks you're a fool, should you really remain silent? People already think you're a fool, so they'll treat you like a fool (not to mention what they would say behind your back). What if you admitted to being a fool? Is it not impossible that somebody may want to educate you?

Arguably, I'm taking this saying out of context and applying it in ways that it was not intended. Arguably, I'm examining the ways that a person might interpret the saying's meaning. In the latter case, I find this lovely nugget of wisdom to be pretty terrible, even if unintentionally.

The point is that you should make sure to not make the same mistake. Before you share some brilliant thought, play around with it. Try to apply it to unconventional situations. Find out if it sounds disturbing when put into the wrong context. Avoid those unfortunate implications.