Duality of Truisms

2004-9-13 05:40:00

Thank you my friends for your additional comments on the truisms. You keep coming up with new ones not on the list. Not only this, but just putting attention on them again has caused me to think of several new ones.

It always amazes me when a new one comes along that I didn't think of it sooner for some of the ones I have overlooked for years have been very common ones.

As an interesting side note - when Wayne and I first brainstormed on truisms I left the napkin (with them written on) in the restaurant. I was really irritated with myself and am not sure I have recovered them all to this day. We generated a bigger list than indicated in the chapter.

Rick made an interesting statement about them. He said they are so incorruptible that even a few words from a truism still paints the picture in our mind of the basic idea. He gives examples such as: A penny saved...... Birds of a feather...

Truisms will seldom be lost to civilization because only the rough idea needs to be preserved in words to keep the idea in circulation. They indeed qualify as "eternal words."

John C writes:
Sometimes these truisms seem to come in conflict with each other. For example:

"Look before you leap" and "He who hesitates is lost"

But, there is another truism which also applies and resolves this duality: "There is a time and a place for everything".

But, how do you know the right time and the right place?

Answer: the Second Key Word of Judgment.


JJ:
Good point John.

You can't read these truisms as being applicable to all situations and all times, but each applies to situations that we all recognize as helpful.

Let us take "Look before you leap." vs "He who hesitates is lost." It is true that there are occasions when there is no time to look but we must act instantly or all is lost. For instance, when a quarterback is being rushed is not the time to look and be cautious. He must often make an instant decision or all is lost.

On the other hand, when you are visited by a salesman who wants thousands of dollars of your money for vitamins that will miraculously heal you is not the time to move impulsively. This is the time to look before you leap.

The great part of these truisms is that almost all people, even average people, not that interested in philosophy, can see where they have their place in the wisdom of things.

Sanity calms, but madness is more interesting. John Russell