V English language this saying sounds "simplicity is worse than robbery", which translates as "simplicity is worse than theft"
Equivalents of the expression "simplicity is worse than theft"
- From simplicity, people disappear
- The bird is fed, and a person is deceived with a word
- If a bird is caught, it is fed with sugar
- Fools neither shout nor sow, but they themselves will be born
- In our age, fools will become
- How many days God has ahead, so many fools
- Good houses, but bad heads
- Foolishly born - you can't teach
- You can't find enough of a fool of the mind.
- It is unreasonable to teach - pour water into a bottomless tub
- To teach a fool is only to spoil
- You can't find enough fists for all the fools
- An obliging fool is more dangerous than the enemy
The use of the phraseological unit "simplicity is worse than theft"
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“... I have forever assimilated to myself several Bunin's recommendations: tact, accuracy, brevity, simplicity, but of course - and Bunin emphasized this many times, a phrase, above a single word ... "(Kataev)
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“It’s simple, of course, simple, but other simplicity is worse than theft. Just touch it, but from the very first step you will fall into such a myriad of traps that you will probably leave your head there! (M. Saltykov-Shchedrin "Virtues and vices")
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“This is me for simplicity ... Okay. Simplicity is worse than theft, they say. If you give free rein to fools, so they are smart from the world "(Saltykov-Shchedrin" Fairy tales. Crucian idealist ")
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“Christ agreed with Nikita: it’s true, he says, I was mistaken because of my simplicity .. With you, he says, everything on earth is so confused that it is impossible to make out anything and, perhaps, you are speaking correctly. Satan in the hand that kindness and simplicity are worse than stealing. (Bitter "Life of Klim Samgin").
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“Shut up, you fool! what did you remember ... That simplicity is worse than stealing. " (Prince "The Miser")
We are simple! We, who even have a proverb: "Simplicity is worse than theft." It is said disapprovingly about whose innocence, gullibility, naivety bring harm and trouble.
And how many writers have mentioned this: V. I. Dal, Milkhelson, Sobolev, Saltykov-Shchedrin (Well-intentioned speeches), Mamin-Sibiryak (The Gordeev Brothers), B. Polevoy (Deep Rear), Maxim Gorky (The Life of Klim Samgin).
In fact, this proverb means that simplicity is stupidity, insanity is worse than almost anything.
What is worse than stealing
You remembered correctly - simplicity. Now, unfortunately, a flat understanding of a wise saying is accepted. "Simplicity is worse than theft" in the modern interpretation means that the simple-minded behavior of the victim of the robbery is more worthy of condemnation than the robbery itself. Well, we generally do not shine with intelligence, and it would be strange to expect that we would be more attentive than we are, to treat precisely that folk wisdom that is especially offensive for us.
Where did the expression come from? Simplicity is worse than stealing
First, we note that the word "simplicity", like the words derived from it, has different meanings. So, for example, simplicity in relation to God means the absolute simplicity of His nature. In relation to a person, this word already means the relative simplicity of the nature of his soul in comparison with his complex body. In relation to a group of people, this word can mean, for example, ordinary people who do not occupy high government posts.
Where did it come from
Each of us uses proverbs and sayings almost daily. What were their meanings initially? What is their etymology? Alas, but we, often, even have no idea about it. Let's identify the etymology of a few at least.
"Get on the rampage." Rojon is a long pointed stake, by means of which in the Middle Ages the infantry did not admit the enemy's cavalry. Thus, to go on a rampage initially meant futile attempts to break through the forest of stakes with a horse attack.
Why do they say that the simplicity of theft is worse, where did it come from? 12: 21
Simplicity is worse than theft, the meaning of this proverb most accurately determines the human essence of some people and their character traits. What the phrase simplicity of mind conceals in itself is pure thoughts, the absence of bad thoughts. If once the simplicity related to the description of human character traits had an absolutely positive meaning, then over time the expression acquired a perverse meaning and interpretation.
Simplicity is worse than theft - the meaning, origin and interpretation of the phrase, which has become a catch phrase
Do you know what simplicity is? This word has several meanings that are fundamentally different from each other in meaning. Another thing is interesting: simplicity can be both a positive quality of a person and a negative one. Everything here is very individual. No wonder they say: "Be simple, and people will be drawn to you." But this is not always the case.
In fact, at times it is worse than stealing. The meaning here does not need to be looked for somewhere deep - everything is elementary.
Simplicity is worse than stealing
Russian thought and speech. Yours and someone else's. Experience of Russian phraseology. Collection of figurative words and parables. T.T. 1-2. Walking and well-aimed words. A collection of Russian and foreign quotes, proverbs, sayings, proverbial expressions and individual words. SPb. a type. Ak. sciences. M. I. Mikhelson. 1896-1912.
Simplicity is worse than theft — Simplicity is worse than theft. Wed This is me for simplicityѣ. OK. Simplicity is worse than theft, they say.
Dictionary of Proverbs and Sayings
Worse than stealing. It is said disapprovingly about whose innocence, gullibility, naivety bring harm and trouble. He [the German] first digs into the earth with his finger and tries to find out what her bite is on his tongue. And we haven’t gotten to that. Simple. Hour by hour is not easier. That is weak, that is, drunk, then simple, that is. We are simple! We, who even have a proverb:
Owl Psychologist
Which for some reason is worse than stealing is a kind of naivety that does not bring joy and does not arouse liking. There is also naivety - pure and sincere, bringing carelessness, lightness. And another naivety is from unwillingness to think, although it would seem that there are all possibilities for this ...
Conscious theft subtly goes back to paganism and a kind of cult of power. Who is strong - he is supposedly right.
School of awareness
After all, the word "simplicity" has a lot different meanings... And it is not for nothing that there are sayings about the positive qualities of simplicity: “be simple and people will reach out to you” and others about the fact that you should not complicate the situation, and so on.
Is it worth looking for a deep meaning when it is on the surface. Why poke around in the meanings of the word "simplicity" when this is not the essence of the saying. After all, each person has his own understanding, and the saying is universal - that means that is not the point.
You remembered correctly - simplicity. Now, unfortunately, a flat understanding of a wise saying is accepted. "Simplicity is worse than theft" in the modern interpretation means that the simple-minded behavior of the victim of the robbery is more worthy of condemnation than the robbery itself. Well, we generally do not shine with intelligence, and it would be strange to expect that we would be more attentive than we are, to treat precisely that folk wisdom that is especially offensive for us.
In fact, these three words mean that simplicity is stupidity, insanity is worse than almost anything. It's not just that, according to Dahl, "stupidity will be worse than a thief." The reason is always more terrible than the effect, and theft, that is, the violation of human and divine laws, is usually a direct consequence of simplicity. (Given the prevalence of the phenomenon under discussion, let me remind you that V.I.Dal not only distinguishes, but also opposes simplicity (directness) hearts and simplicity (emptiness) of the mind)... What is murder, or the same robbery, if not a disgustingly simple solution to some problem?
Therefore, the striking simplicity of most of the phenomena of public life we observe is sad and dangerous. Take the current history of TV-6. The depressing impression of being smeared with something trashy, with which she decisively awarded everyone, is caused, in my opinion, by the frenzied simplicity with which those who participated in this story acted, and those who chose not to participate were inactive. Punishing the offender, crushing the enemy, preserving property, acquiring property - all these are quite common, very human goals. But why should the pursuit of these goals inevitably proceed in such a simple way, head-on, without regard for decency? All living things need food, but to be reduced to a simple tract from the mouth opening to the anal one is the lot of organisms, which biology calls it: protozoa. It is not honorable and futile to imitate them.
And now such imitation is in vogue. Simplification of motives and techniques is almost the slogan of the era. How habitual it has become, for example, in the mouths of all sorts of people, a proud admission of cynicism. One can only hear: "I am a cynical person," "I look at this question cynically," and so on. At first it seemed that people were confusing foreign words and saying "cynically", wanting to say "pragmatically." But then it became clear that things were worse: very often they mean "simply". "I look at this question cynically" means "I see a piece and intend to grab it immediately." Self-incrimination also happens here, but more often it is a hopeless truth.
Social life must be difficult to be tolerable; to get better, it has to get more complex. We are still striving to move in the opposite direction. Examples of explicit simplification are proliferating. Take, say, the redistribution of property. The version of it, which was based on the Law on AO, was, as we all remember, quite Neanderthal, but it had an abyss of varieties and excellent chances for evolution. And we switched to schemes based on bankruptcy procedures, and this is already a robbery, as invariable as a club, where there is no evolution.
Simplicity, which is somehow worse than stealing, is a kind of naivety that does not bring joy or liking. There is also naivety - pure and sincere, bringing carelessness, lightness. And another naivety is from unwillingness to think, although it would seem that there are all possibilities for this ...
Why is it said that simplicity is worse than theft?
Conscious theft subtly goes back to paganism and a kind of cult of power. Who is strong - he is supposedly right. And when they robbed, but in a cunning way, applying remarkable skills, despite the obvious damage, somewhere in the background there is Delight... "Well this is necessary, so I came up with it - that even drew me around!" There is admiration for the strong, even if he transgressed some universal laws.
But Delight to another ordinary person who simply divides into “black” and “white”, his own and others, right and wrong, who stubbornly bends his line, rejecting any arguments, and not out of ingenuity, but out of his own ignorance, and only - an incredible thing. I mean, it doesn't exist. Sometimes when faced with such categorical, serene and dull simplicity, I feel something between irritation and disgust. Indeed, other simplicity is worse than theft ...
In engineering, simplification is good. In design, simplification is good. And complete simplification is a mechanism that sooner or later (at the next round of simplification) will take, and even refuse.
It is not for nothing that “physical chemistry” and “chemical and biological” directions appear in the sciences. At the junction of sciences. So that, then, only not to boil in your juice. Complicate your life :)
Or take my favorite psychotherapy. In this case, more than half of the clients come for simplification - “It's hard for me in life, give me, therapist, a magic pill / good advice / a powerful pendel / a clear scheme of what is happening / a map of the area, and so that the treasure is marked with a cross”. And they are surprised when meeting after meeting the therapist not only does not simplify, but also complicates life.
Become, volume appears in life.
- First, I crawled along one coordinate.
- Then - already in two-dimensional space.
- In 3D.
There are more and more degrees of freedom, as well as responsibility for where and how and at what pace you are heading.
Three kinds of "simplicity that is worse than theft"
1. It seems to me obvious that the most important “coordinate” that defines simplicity, which is worse than theft, such a ridiculous, self-damaging, owner-harming naivety is the division of everything in two.
I still haven't figured out who came with what, who wanted what,
and already “knows” who is right and who is wrong.
Fast for conclusions - fast and for punishment.
The inability to withstand “And I love, And I hate”, “And I want, And I feel disgust”, “And I reach out to a person, And I slow down so as not to“ fly ”into a relationship - leads to quick conclusions. Instant coffee. It looks like it smells like coffee, but the product is ... so-so, peculiar.
2. The second point is rigidity, in the sense of “stability at any cost”. Planting your values. "Only in this way, and not otherwise." This kind of simplicity makes you miss the incredible - at the cost of "guaranteed millet porridge for the rest of your days." Something important such a person does not notice, because “something must be done”.
Unfortunately, I read a book about rigidity, and I know how it works. And it works rather sadly.
Lacking an internal “core”, his own (with all his being) perceived “censor”, a person invents external censors. Parents (in the form of bosses, state, set of rules, laws, police). Observes, tactfully, and frightens others.
It would be better to have robbed than to chop off, like a piece of wood, every suitable person. Daddy UCarlo, damn it.
3. Another nuance - distrust. "Where does this mistrust come from, Citizen Chief?" - asked the intellectual Naked in the voice of a Goblin. Indeed, instead of trusting - it seems to me to be good, important now, such a “simpleton” does not appreciate the moment. And why appreciate him, in fact. There is no depth of the moment. But there are (see clause 2) norms and rules. So let's turn to them - at every opportunity.
Something sad, my picture came out, Prostak Prostofilevich, and a little spiteful. I didn’t plan, I didn’t want to ... And yet it is precisely these feelings - the sadness of non-meeting and irritation, as from a prickly woolen sweater - that I experience when faced with simple, devaluing, measuring everything with their ruler (who, they say, has more? What have I achieved? ), but in essence - insipid people. I love bright colors and delicate colors, and leaden gray and deep purple, I love spices and everything from pickled garlic to Belgian chocolate. I love smells ... and when they are not there, it is very scary to fall into this viscous vacuum ...
Yesterday I understood the real meaning of this proverb, although I used it more than once, but I felt it on my own skin only now.
My husband and I left for England, I was in September, my husband joined me in November, my daughter stayed at home for 18 years - she finished her studies at school, the last year, exams. We settled in, it quickly became clear that we would not return to Latvia as long as there was an opportunity to live normally in England, in the fall we would apply for a residence permit in order to gain a foothold there. The question arose what to do with the house - in August the daughter will come to study with us and the house will remain empty. After weighing all the pros and cons, we decided to look for tenants and found them via the Internet. Now I am in Latvia - I flew to my daughter's graduation ceremony, signed an agreement with tenants, redid a bunch of little things that had accumulated during my absence. Now I clean the house - I throw away everything that I was sorry to throw away, but nowhere to put it.
The mother-in-law said that she could see what she needed, so that she could take it (she lives in another area of the city, sometimes she comes in for a visit, in our absence she looks after her daughter). Yes, she says, they say, nothing is needed, she doesn’t go anywhere, she has enough clothes, dishes too, well, and so on. Only here she took all sorts of footprints and socks from you. Well, well done, I say, it means that I will throw out everything that is left.
Yesterday I started getting ready for the prom - I can't find the golden ring! I am not a connoisseur of jewelry, there is only one gold ring - my husband gave it to my wedding anniversary and I wore it on great occasions. Then my daughter says to me - and his grandmother took him, you yourself said that you can take everything you need! Yes, these are my words, but I did not think that they would touch the box with my "gold reserve"!
I rattled off, my daughter quickly called my grandmother - she said that her mother was fierce. No, okay, I would have kept a dozen of them there, But after all, ONE RING !!! Indignation gurgled from me.
We come to graduation, grandmother brings a ring, gives it back with the words - "It was great for me, I cut it and made it on my finger!" My eyes darkened with resentment. I gave it back - I no longer need it. Our grandmother was worried - I’ll buy a new one, I’ll give money - you can buy whatever you want. Don't - I say.
I came home, for half an hour I was crying for my husband on Skype and could not calm down.
Today my grandmother calls again - "What size, I have seen enough of your ring, I will buy" on the ring.
How could she explained that it was not the ring and the money that was the matter, but that it was a thing dear to me. I hear she is crying into the phone - well, she didn’t do it out of malice! I understand, but it's so offensive !!! It's just that my soul hurts.
My mother-in-law is a golden, wonderful woman, but this is simplicity ...