Aphorisms: Tired and Fresh

Big Frank has been thinking lately of aphorisms. They, briefly defined, are original thoughts expressed in a laconic style. They can be both strikingly original and (with the passage of time and use) hackneyed – in the latter case they have entered the world of the cliché and are emblematic of a lack of thought. The latter leave people’s mouths without passing through their heads; it is a kind of conditioned response. For example:

“What will be will be.”
“What goes around comes around.”
“To each his own.”
“There you go!”

Nobody has ever paused after reading or hearing any of these aphorisms because they are totally exhausted of meaning. Their true meaning is to actually stop any conversation or thought. They are punctuation marks – very large periods.

The mark of a fresh or original aphorism is that is leads to thought. It can provide a fresh insight. When you hear it, it allows you to look at yourself or life in a new way. Here are a few that Big Frank has found to have this effect.

“Things don’t change, but by and by our wishes change.”Proust
“We are never so happy or unhappy as we imagine.” Francois duc la Rochefoucauld
“Maturity consists in no longer being taken in by oneself.” Kajetan von Schlaggenberg
“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble, it’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so… “ Mark Twain
"In the end one loves one's desire and not what is desired." Nietzsche
"Complete possession is proved only by giving. All you are unable to give possesses you." Andre Gide

So if anyone has any good thought-provoking aphorisms to share, Big Frank would like to hear from you. Similarly if you have any thought-terminating ones that you hear all too often then send them in also.