Proverbs in conflict - the A and B side of everything

Proverbs are short pithy household sayings that have been handed down from generation to generation. They express truth in common sense and hit practical precepts.

I remembered to have read a book back in high school about these comical- conflicting advice, figured to share this post to get your take and maybe apply these wise words (whichever suits you) on your everyday dealings. Read on.

Actions speak louder than words.
but
The pen is mightier than the sword...

The more, the merrier.
but
Two's company; three's a crowd...

Opposites attract.
but
Birds of a feather flock together...

Great minds think alike.
but
Fools seldom differ...

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
but
Out of sight, out of mind...

The bigger, the better.
but
The best things come in small packages...

Money Talks.
but
Talk is cheap...

Clothes make the man.
but
Don't judge a book by its cover...

Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.
but
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth...

A silent man is a wise one.
but
A man without words is a man without thoughts...

Knowledge is power.
but
Ignorance is bliss...

Two heads are better than one.
but
If you want something done right, do it yourself...

Too many cooks spoil the broth.
but
Two heads are better than one...

What will be, will be.
but
Life is what you make it...

Better to ask the way than to go astray.
but
Ask no questions and hear no lies...

Never do evil, that good may come of it.
but
The end justifies the means...

Cross your bridges when you come to them.
but
Forewarned is forearmed...

The only constant is change.
but
The more things change, the more they stay the same...

Variety is the spice of life.
but
Don't change horses in the middle of a stream...

What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
but
One man's meat is another man's poison...

With age comes wisdom.
but
Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings come all wise sayings...

It's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.
but
The nail that sticks out gets hammered...

The best things in life are free.
but
You get what you pay for...

It never rains, than it pours.
but
Lightning never strikes twice in the same place...

Everything comes to him who waits.
but
He who hesitates is lost...

Never too old to learn.
but
You can't teach an old dog new tricks...

Practice makes a man perfect.
but
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy...

Message in a Bottle

A piece of advice everybody should hold on to: Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's free (to wear sunscreen)

Here's one song that really sticks to my mind whenever i seek advice. Posted below are the lyrics to Baz Luhrmann's speech for a song: Everybody's free(to wear sunscreen). To hear the mp3, do check out the earplugz. enjoy

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99, wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience…I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; Oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked….

You’re not as fat as you imagine. Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.

The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing everyday that scares you.

Sing. Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss. Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind… The race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.
Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, Tell me how. Keep your old love letters; throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch. Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…

Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.

Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own..

Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them. DO NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents; you never know when they’ll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard;
live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young; prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders. Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth. But trust me on the sunscreen…

Source: Message in a Bottle