You know, like “always split on 18,” or “having kids is the most rewarding thing you can do in life.”

What’s that one bit of advice you got from a trusted friend that you know deep, deep down would just ruin your thing?

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    599 months ago

    “Der klügere gibt nach” which directly translates to “the wiser one gives in” or more or less matches the idiom “it’s better to bend than to break”.

    Growing up I heard this a lot and it’s mostly use to silence those who have (well-founded) objections. Took me a while to realize that this leads to us following the stupid because they don’t give in which subsequently makes the wise one the stupid one.

    • nomad
      link
      fedilink
      27
      edit-2
      9 months ago

      The Idiom is regularly abused and misunderstood. Its about being smart what fights are worth fighting. Often heard by kids from their Patents when they fight over “nothing”

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        99 months ago

        Similarly, if you have kids, being completely authoritarian is a losing strategy.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          79 months ago

          Yeah, having kids made me realize how important it is to choose my battle.

          I prefer being strict on a limited set of important rules and more lenient on the rest rather than trying to do too much and just giving up on everything when i’m exhausted.

          Like it’s fine if my two years old is a bit messy on the table and does not finish his plate as long as he’s trying the food and let us have our dinner too in a relative peace.

      • @PM_Your_Nudes_Please
        link
        89 months ago

        It’s basically “choose your battles.” Some battles can be won, but only for minimal gain and a lot of effort. So is it really worth fighting, or do you simply concede the loss so you can better spend your limited time and effort elsewhere?

    • Jojo
      link
      fedilink
      79 months ago

      Though the grass may kneel before the slightest breeze, the mighty oak does not bow even to the strongest gale.