Thread: Things Told as Children... Not So?

I have noticed that there are many things that I have been told to do or not to do growing up, and I must say now that I'm older, these statements just do not seem to be true. Maybe it hasn't been long-term enough for me to really see the end results, or maybe it's just crap.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.
Who hasn't heard this rhyme? Supposedly, there is no power behind words. But once you get old enough people readily admit that there is indeed a great deal of strength behind what others say about you and what you say. Word-of-mouth can make you or break you. "The pen is mightier than the sword."

You have to do your best in school, study hard, and get good grades to succeed.
I did all three of those. And right now I'm working part-time at McDonald's. There are kids who slacked off their first two or three years of high school who still managed to get into college. You don't specifically need a diploma. You can just get a G.E.D. and you can still get accepted. Heck, Bill Gates is a high school drop-out and yet he has over $50 billion dollars.

You shouldn't be concerned about the opposite gender until you're older.
Does that even work? It didn't for me. When school and work are more important than the opposite gender, you eventually find yourself getting too caught up in them to ever focus on men/women, or so it seems to me.

Post any others that you've heard over the years. I'd like to see some opinions on why we, as kids and teens, would be told these things.

Christianity
sorry :F

Umm catch more flies with honey than vinegar. untrue on all levels.

and because i am unoriginal, watched toaster never pops or something like that

All the drug bullshit. Not trying to start a drug thread, but this deffenitly pertains to this topic.

I still remember my dad telling me to never smoke weed, when I was like 10. Kinda funny since both my parents smoked at my age all the way through college.


I know there are others that I remember hearing, but I just can't get it out. I hate the tip of the tongue thing... :/

Originally Posted by no-Name

Christianity

Don't want to turn this into a R/S-oriented thread, but that pretty much hit the nail on the head. I can't believe I believe in any of that shit for the first 10 years of my life.

Anyway, "respect your elders" and "respect authority" were the two I didn't hear much, but were prominent in anything I did. Some "elders" are terrible people, and most authority is illegitimate.

Another one that popped up a lot was on the first day of school every year: "Respect X, Y, Z (was usually "Respect the teacher"). It was plastered on every syllabus given. By the end of the year I had figured that most of my teachers should to quit their jobs, not be given my respect.

Don't talk to strangers. Something that is mildly useful for children under the age of 6, probably scared half a generation of people into not making new friends.

all drugs are bad except alchohol tobacco and pharms - bullshit

Originally Posted by Supernova

All drugs are bad except alcohol, tobacco, and pharmacy drugs - Bullshit!

I really don't agree with that.....

I agree with all the other stuff, though.

Fix'd, BTW.

Originally Posted by youssarian

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.
Who hasn't heard this rhyme? Supposedly, there is no power behind words. But once you get old enough people readily admit that there is indeed a great deal of strength behind what others say about you and what you say. Word-of-mouth can make you or break you. "The pen is mightier than the sword."

A comment on this one.

Words aren't like a sharp blade. Words are gentle hands. They will do nothing to healthy skin, but will ache more than anything if they touch a wound.

I think you should reinterpret the saying as an advice, instead of a general truth. You had no wounds people could pick on when you were a child. You acquire them as you grow older. Words don't hurt you, words bring your pain forth.

This is one of those cases that show children are wiser than adults about many things. When I was a child, I promised myself I would never stop comprehending children and would never have adult problems. It helped me not to forget the wisdom I acquired as a child.

You make a very wise point Kromoh.

Originally Posted by Kromoh

A comment on this one.

Words aren't like a sharp blade. Words are gentle hands. They will do nothing to healthy skin, but will ache more than anything if they touch a wound.

I think you should reinterpret the saying as an advice, instead of a general truth. You had no wounds people could pick on when you were a child. You acquire them as you grow older. Words don't hurt you, words bring your pain forth.

This is one of those cases that show children are wiser than adults about many things. When I was a child, I promised myself I would never stop comprehending children and would never have adult problems. It helped me not to forget the wisdom I acquired as a child.

True, but don't you think words can inflict wounds? I was a very bright, vibrant, active girl when i was in elementary school- but when my parents moved me to another school, I was bullied like hell. It made me weaker, duller, and definitely much more fragile than i was before. I mean, I'm 21, but I'm still not over the bullying I endured then, and I feel like I'm "the way i was supposed to be"- if that makes any sense