One Bad Apple
@morethanamolehill (1586)
United States
February 24, 2009 8:45pm CST
I'm posting this here in conjunction with my blog at http://morethanamolehill.wordpress.com/
“I’m pure as the driven slush.” Tallulah Bankhead
I stood in the elevator on the eighth (administrative) floor of the Public Library as the newly refurbished elevator door came very slowly to a close. A very loud warning signal assaulted those of us inside. On the way down I broke the unwritten rule by commenting to the well dressed lady in the car with me.
I said something about how could someone need to be warned about something so obvious as closing elevator doors and that we were becoming a society saturated with warnings. To which she replied “One Bad Apple spoils it for the rest of us”
I have noticed in my life that the more well educated a person is, the more likely they are to respond with a platitude rather than actually think for themselves. But let’s think for a moment about this saying.
“One bad apple spoils a whole bunch”
So, If you have a bushel of apples, and you spot a bad one, do you just write off the bushel? Or do you pick out the bad one, take a quick look at the the remaining ones to see if any more are bad and move on? I have found that a lot of sayings don’t stand up to common sense.
“Still waters run deep”
Still water doesn’t run, now does it?
“Pure as the driven snow”
Driven snow is rarely pure.
So the next time you are going to answer a problem with a platitude, give it a little thought first.
And how about if we start picking out our bad apples instead of just allowing them to spoil the whole bushel.
4 people like this
23 responses
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
25 Feb 09
I think that the warning is for people who may be blind. You are right. I hear alot of people use platitudes like he is a bad seed..rotten to the core. some people find it easier to express themselves using these platitudes then using their own words.
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
25 Feb 09
I am so sorry I have been having problems it seems with mylot tonight/morning and I kept trying to post to it but it kept only showing a white page so I never knew if it went threw or not what I posted. so I kept trying..I guess next time I need to go to my profile to check..Please forgive me..
1 person likes this
@morethanamolehill (1586)
• United States
26 Feb 09
No problem. You are forgiven,Gurl. Methinks MyLot is giving you a problem, Your profile page says "mtdewgurl74 has had no activity for the last 60 days." Even though your last login was 14 hours ago and you updated your profile three weeks ago. Go Figure.
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
26 Feb 09
Yeah I seen that after I went to check when it happened again..I was like what!!..So it happened again but at least it was only posted twice to that one..I see I am not the only one that had problems and was posted more then once. Thanks. Maybe, we are having more problems because it is close to the end of the month? Never know..alot of people are on trying to make those last few cent to send them to cashout and I bet that can sometimes overload mylot at times..
@morethanamolehill (1586)
• United States
26 Feb 09
Now I see why it doesn't work right. It is capturing the html tag for italics. So here is the proper link. I will have to make sure not to Italicize a link in the future. Thanks for pointing it out for me.
http://morethanamolehill.wordpress.com/
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
12 Mar 09
Now if you think about it what she meant was one person complained or got hurt playing around so now the elevator has to have warnings for insurance reasons. I can see her point in what she said.
I disagree with what you say about the more eduction a person has the more they answer with platitudes. I have worked with people who have their masters and bachelors degrees. I find some of them will answer questions with words that are over my head and some will go into a long dissertation on what I said. I have seen the ones who know how to talk to the common folk and can think for themselves as you say.
@morethanamolehill (1586)
• United States
26 Nov 09
Oh I have met those types of people too. Maybe some of them use platitudes because they think they need to keep things simple for us common folk.
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
25 Feb 09
Hi morethanamolehill! I guess some people love dishing out platitudes that are actually meaningless but are delivered in such a way that they are dishing out significant statements. LOL..I think that these people would want to make an impression that they are well learned and educated and belong to a higher class belonging to an intelligent group. However, I do agree that we should start picking out the rotten ones instead of spoiling the whole lot. Just my thoughts.
Take care and have a great day!
lovelots..faith
Take care and have a great day!
lovelots..faith1 person likes this
I promise, i won't! @morethanamolehill (1586)
• United States
26 Feb 09
Thanks faith, And don't forget, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away."
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
25 Feb 09
You have a VERY good point there! It is like stereotypes, thinking that the most prominent person embodies the characteristics of the entire race, religion or culture. We see this every day when people judge the Muslim people by their extremists, or the Christians by their extremists. The most visible are used by the media to speak for the rest but it is rarely representative of the entire population.
That one sentiment about the bad apple should be taken to heart by everyone and then perhaps we could get along better.
1 person likes this
@morethanamolehill (1586)
• United States
25 Feb 09
Excellent point dragon54u!
Thanks for commenting and more importantly, thanks for thinking.
@morethanamolehill (1586)
• United States
26 Feb 09
The link to my blog in the OP does not work properly since it is capyuring part of the html code for italics. So here is a proper link. sorry.
http://morethanamolehill.wordpress.com/
@forslahiri (1042)
• India
25 Feb 09
Hi,
Interesting point...no doubt!
"who is going to bell the cat?" in this society...
will be the question, we must ask ourselves!
=Lahiri,Kolkata,India.
1 person likes this
@morethanamolehill (1586)
• United States
26 Feb 09
Actually, There are plenty of people ringing bells. The real question is "does anyone hear them ringing?"
@forslahiri (1042)
• India
27 Feb 09
Hi,
No,They are not Deaf...they are Coward...
=Lahiri,Kolkata,India.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
25 Feb 09
that saying is common sense, on two levels,
first of all a bad apple bruises, in certain climates the bruise extremely fast if you ever notice potatoes when one bruises and you didn't get to see it it often transfers to the the rest of the bag before you have a chance to see it and you have through out the bag, this is level one,
the second level is make the apple a person,
you have a group of kids hey are all good kids then one bad kid comes into the gang, this kid happens to be very influential, it good be because they look up to him, because he is older or they think he is wiser,
or he can hurt them physically, either way, there is something about this bad kid that makes the group listen, and now must of the group is following what this bad kid is doing,
what has happened the group is spoiled, even if their are a few good kids left, the group is spoiled because it is not the same good group of all good kids anymore.
the saying makes perfect sense.
1 person likes this
@cdparazo (5765)
• Philippines
26 Feb 09
I so agree with you. I really hate it when people would say those things to me to explain things or to prove something. The one that I hate most is...practice makes perfect but nobody is perfect..so why practice? It would really raise my ire. I think that some people just use those so called platitudes or cliches as gospel truth or to excuse some failings. If I see a bad apple, I would actually take it out. I goes against common sense to be to write off the entire bunch because one is rotten. Just like not practicing because one can't get perfect. Ewww...
1 person likes this
@michaeldadona (5684)
• Malaysia
26 Feb 09
Your discussion reminds me about two (2) dumb Folksy Sayings, Proverbs and Clichés which are "His elevator doesn't go all the way to the top floor" and "Couldn't pour piss out of a boot if the instructions were written on the heel.". Actually, it is a short saying to make understand the situation around and not the details of it.
Similarly, like when we respect some one after they said "Thank you" and we replied with "No need to mention it" rather than "welcome". In fact, why we no need to mention the word thank you once being help by other party. I mean, the objective of the saying and not the motive of the saying.
Justly like a color, we just say it Green and no need for us to say blue mixed with yellow. We just say white and not for the spectrum colors of it, which is white consists of seven (7) colors; R.O.Y.G.B.I.V.; Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet. Matter of fact, color starts from three (3) prime colors; Red, Blue and Yellow.
It is my opinion anyway and thanks for providing good topic of discussion.
1 person likes this
@bjcyrix (6901)
• Philippines
20 Nov 09
LOL! That is very good reasoning! I like the "Still water runs deep" logic most especially. That was just too true, and of course, its kinda in the literal sense when the popular sayings opt the more metaphorical explanation.
It still is nice to end someone's standoffish attitude with all the "witty" quotes, by just pure logic. They could never say a comeback quick enough to be valid. If they still insisted to defend their answer after several seconds, they'd just look desperate.
But yeah, about that bad apple saying, I was always told that bad apples can spread into the whole bunch, so if one sees a bad apple, take it and separate it from the still good ones. You dont just stand/sit there looking at the bad apple waiting for it to spoil everything. You take action to prevent the worst from happening.
That's just what I think anyways.^_^
That is very good reasoning! I like the "Still water runs deep" logic most especially. That was just too true, and of course, its kinda in the literal sense when the popular sayings opt the more metaphorical explanation.
It still is nice to end someone's standoffish attitude with all the "witty" quotes, by just pure logic. They could never say a comeback quick enough to be valid. If they still insisted to defend their answer after several seconds, they'd just look desperate.
But yeah, about that bad apple saying, I was always told that bad apples can spread into the whole bunch, so if one sees a bad apple, take it and separate it from the still good ones. You dont just stand/sit there looking at the bad apple waiting for it to spoil everything. You take action to prevent the worst from happening.
That's just what I think anyways.^_^1 person likes this
@guybrush (4658)
• Australia
1 Mar 09
It's certainly true we're becoming a cliche-ridden society. Rarely does anyone respond with anything original anymore! I would certainly pick out the bad apple before it has a chance to spread its rot to its neighbours. I suppose we're stuck with ridiculous warnings and disclaimers because of the modern-day habit of opportunists taking legal action for just about everything rather than simply accepting something was an accident, like we used to do in days gone by. It would never have occurred to us to sue Council because we'd tripped on a loose paving stone - we would have merely been cross with ourselves for being clumsy!
1 person likes this
@savypat (20216)
• United States
25 Feb 09
The one about the apples is true. If you find a bad one and don't remove it promptly the fungus will spread rapidly. If fact you need to wash all the remaining apples and put them in a clean barrel. I agree with you about the other platitudes and have been guilty as charged. It's pure laziness on my part why think of how to state something when it's already been stated by someone else so well. Will you buy that excuse?
@kellyjeanne (1576)
• United States
1 Mar 09
In some cases I agree with you and in other cases I don't. For example: 'Don't put all your eggs in one basket.', is so very true. Like you I don't like it when people answer in empty platitudes. To me it just shows lack of imagination and/or the fact that they're being smart @ssess.........
Purrs,
Catwoman=^..^= & Mija
1 person likes this
@morethanamolehill (1586)
• United States
3 Mar 09
Good point. I'm not completely against using platitudes and such. (I think this one comes from one of Aesop's fables) I just wish people would put a little more thought into them.
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
25 Feb 09
I think that the warning is for people who may be blind. You are right. I hear alot of people use platitudes like he is a bad seed..rotten to the core. some people find it easier to express themselves using these platitudes then using their own words.
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
25 Feb 09
I think that the warning is for people who may be blind. You are right. I hear alot of people use platitudes like he is a bad seed..rotten to the core. some people find it easier to express themselves using these platitudes then using their own words.
1 person likes this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
25 Feb 09
What she meant by “One Bad Apple spoils it for the rest of us”
Was that when one person does the wrong thing... the government punish all of us for it.
The government does not have the man power to deal with each one of us individually.
So when an 18 year old exceed the speed limit... and kills himself in the process... the government start a propaganda "Speed kills".
And they use the 18 year old as an excuse to increase the speeding fines.
Most new laws happen because one person did the wrong thing.
In Australia... one man went out and killed 35 people with an automatic rifle.
Within days from that... our Prime Minister did put a ban on all automatic rifles and confiscated everyone of them by making it unlawful to pocess one.
With the population explosion... control is becoming harder and harder. And the only way for the government to deal with it is to take all our freedom away. The less freedom we have... the less likely we are to make a mistake.
1 person likes this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
25 Feb 09
What she meant by “One Bad Apple spoils it for the rest of us”
Was that when one person does the wrong thing... the government punish all of us for it.
The government does not have the man power to deal with each one of us individually.
So when an 18 year old exceed the speed limit... and kills himself in the process... the government start a propaganda "Speed kills".
And they use the 18 year old as an excuse to increase the speeding fines.
Most new laws happen because one person did the wrong thing.
In Australia... one man went out and killed 35 people with an automatic rifle.
Within days from that... our Prime Minister did put a ban on all automatic rifles and confiscated everyone of them by making it unlawful to pocess one.
With the population explosion... control is becoming harder and harder. And the only way for the government to deal with it is to take all our freedom away. The less freedom we have... the less likely we are to make a mistake.
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
25 Feb 09
What a wonderful analogy of a situation....you are right. The more highly educated a person is the more they are to quote some philosopher...or tend to not think for themselves....And picking out the bad apple and not letting them spoil things for everyone is true.....you need to look past the apple...and move on.
1 person likes this
@tea512 (687)
• United States
25 Feb 09
Cool topic, I will agree people use cliches because they think it is something you heard and can not be mis interpidid. i do beleive in th context that person was using it was that the one bad apple that sued the building because the elevator closed on the arm or leg or something. That bad apple caused the noise police to issue a warning so that it would never get sued again. I will have to look around a listen for what you are talking about. Kepp up the good work love the topic.
