Wrong Quotes


It is better to suffer wrong than to do it, and happier to be sometimes cheated than not to trust. Samuel Johnson

In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing. Theodore Roosevelt

A man in the wrong may more easily be convinced than one half right. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nothing is right or wrong. It's all an interpretation of which lens we are looking through. Tarun Sharma

There are some ideas so wrong that only a very intelligent person could believe in them. George Orwell

To persist in doing wrong extenuates not the wrong, but makes it much more heavy. William Shakespeare

Standing up for whats wrong, is like intentional standing in line to be executed. Unarine Ramaru

The wrong idea has taken root in the world. And the idea is this: there just might be lives out there that matter less than other lives. Greg Boyle

The eternal difference between right and wrong does not fluctuate, it is immutable. Patrick Henry

Right and wrong has never been obscure. It is as clear as the future. Andreas Laurencius

When you see something that is wrong, there is something that has to be right. J.R. Rim

There's nothing wrong with things taking time. James Dyson

Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or to keep one. Robert E. Lee

Making a wrong decision is understandable. Refusing to search continually for learning is not. Phil Crosby

Perhaps it is better to be irresponsible and right, than to be responsible and wrong. Winston Churchill

The wrong step becomes the right step once you take it. Marty Rubin

If you are going to do something wrong at least enjoy it. Leo Rosten

Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it. Leo Tolstoy

You are not just for the right or left, but for what is right over the wrong. Suzy Kassem

When you have the right, doesn't mean that you are right. Farah Ezzatie

He who commits a wrong will himself inevitably see the writing on the wall, though the world may not count him guilty. Martin Tupper

You can't do wrong right, but you can do right wrong. Bohdi Sanders

To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short. Confucius

The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision. Maimonides

To do a great right do a little wrong. William Shakespeare

It is better to do the wrong thing that to do nothing. Winston Churchill

One day he'll realize he is and was wrong. But that's for him to figure out. You can't change people or make them realize things they don't want to see. Dominic Riccitello

It is wrong to assume that men of immense wealth are always happy. John D. Rockefeller

A wrong-doer is often a man that has left something undone, not always he that has done something. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

You got to go down a lot of wrong roads to find the right one. Bob Parsons

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Stephan Decatur: Was He the Original Creator of This Phrase?

The story goes back to the early 19th century when a US naval officer and commodore Stephan Decatur was gaining immense admiration and accolades for his naval expeditions and adventures. Decatur was famous for his daredevil acts of valor, especially for the burning of the frigate USS Philadelphia, which was in the hands of pirates from the Barbary states. Having captured the ship with just a handful of men, Decatur set the ship on fire and came back victorious without losing a single man in his army. British Admiral Horatio Nelson remarked that this expedition was one of the boldest and daring acts of the age. Decatur’s exploits continued further. In April 1816, after his successful mission of signing of the peace treaty with Algeria, Stephan Decatur was welcomed home as a hero. He was honored at a banquet, where he raised his glass for a toast and said:

“Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong!”

This toast went on to become one of the most famous lines in history. The sheer patriotism, the blind love for motherland, the egotist zeal of a soldier makes this line a great jingoistic punchline. While this statement has always been contested for its highly narcissistic undertones, you cannot but help the prevailing sense of patriotism that is the hallmark of a great soldier.

Edmund Burke: The Inspiration Behind the Phrase

One cannot say for sure, but perhaps Stephan Decatur was greatly influenced by Edmund Burke’s writing.

In 1790, Edmund Burke had written a book titled "Reflections on the Revolution in France", in which he said,

“To make us love our country, our country ought to be lovely.”

Now, we need to understand the social conditions prevailing during Edmund Burke’s time. At this point in time, the French Revolution was in full swing. The 18th-century philosopher believed that along with the fall of the French monarchy, there was also a fall of good manners. People had forgotten how to be polite, kind and compassionate, which led to depravity during the French Revolution. In this context, he lamented that the country needs to be lovable, in order for the people to love their own country.

Carl Schurz: The US Senator With a Gift of the Gab

Five decades later, in 1871 a US senator Carl Schurz used the phrase “right or wrong” in one of his famous speeches. Not in the exact same words, but the meaning conveyed was quite similar to that of Decatur’s. Senator Carl Schurz gave a fitting reply to a haranguing Senator Mathew Carpenter, who used the phrase, “My country, right or wrong” to prove his point. In reply, Senator Shurz said,

“My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.”

Carl Schurz's speech was received with a deafening applause from the gallery, and this speech established Carl Schurz as one of the foremost and distinguished orators of the Senate.

Why the Phrase "My Country Right or Wrong!" May Not Be So Right for You

The phrase, “My country right or wrong” has become one of the greatest quotes in American history. It has the ability to fill your heart with patriotic fervor. However, some linguistic experts believe that this phrase could be a bit too potent for an immature patriot. It could foster an imbalanced view of one’s own nation. Misplaced patriotic fervor could sow the seed for self-righteous rebellion or war.

“My country, right or wrong' is a thing that no patriot would think of saying except in a desperate case. It is like saying 'My mother, drunk or sober.'”

He goes on to explain his view: “No doubt if a decent man's mother took to drink he would share her troubles to the last; but to talk as if he would be in a state of gay indifference as to whether his mother took to drink or not is certainly not the language of men who know the great mystery.”

Chesterton, through the analogy of the ‘drunk mother’, was pointing out to the fact that blind patriotism is not patriotism. Jingoism can only bring about the downfall of the nation, just like false pride brings us to a fall.

English novelist Patrick O'Brian wrote in his novel "Master and Commander":

“But you know as well as I, patriotism is a word; and one that generally comes to mean either my country, right or wrong, which is infamous, or my country is always right, which is imbecile.”

How to Use This Famous Quote, "My Country Right or Wrong!"

In the world we live today, with growing intolerance and terror breeding in every dark alley, one has to tread carefully before using jingoistic phrases purely for rhetoric. While patriotism is a desirable quality in every respectable citizen, we must not forget that the first duty of every global citizen is to set right what is wrong in our country.

If you choose to use this phrase to pepper your speech or talk, use it diligently. Make sure to spark the right kind of patriotic fervor in your audience and help to bring about change in your own country.



Source: None.

Speaker: Edward Murphy

Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

Context

This is a misquote from Edward Murphy.

This quote, which is sometimes just called Murphy's law, was allegedly uttered by Edward Murphy, an aerospace engineer who was working on an experiment that wasn't going quite as planned when he let out this little pearl of wisdom in frustration. Hey, we've all been there.

Trouble is, it's unclear who actually said this or what was actually said. Some of Murphy's colleagues remember him insulting his assistant for problems during the test by saying, "If that guy has any way of making a mistake, he will." Later, Colonel John Stapp would declare that the team had worked successfully by using Murphy's law—"anything that can go wrong, will go wrong."

In any case, this saying just refers to all the crazy ways things can get messed up. It's best to live by both Murphy's law and the Boy Scout's motto—"Be prepared!"

Where you've heard it

This saying is a pessimist's dream, and you'll usually hear it after things have gone wrong. So very, very wrong.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back?

Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

Pointing out the absurdities of the universe isn't pretentious! Let off this little gem and you'll have everyone nodding their heads in agreement.


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