[Evangelist]

I was reading the book “The Devil’s Notebook” and I came across the chapter named “Duck-Billed Platitudes and I found it interesting. They picked a few popular quotes and dissect them. Let’s start:

The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

--- The rich do get richer, but the poor, having little or nothing to lose, can only get richer. If diligence will not do it, then charity will

All the world loves a lover.

---Bosses hate lovers because they can't keep their minds on their work. The loveless hate lovers because they are envious. Even lovers have little patience with other lovers. They consider another's choice of love object inferior to their own.

The best things in life are free.

---They may be free for you, but somebody else is paying for them.

Honesty is the best policy.

---Should read, "Credibility is the best policy."

Beauty is only skin deep.

---A balm for the ugly, who cannot help but harbor hostility because of their condition. The plain and ugly often mask hostility behind an unctuous or affable facade which is sometimes mistaken for "inner beauty."

If at first you don't succeed, try and try again.

---A sure way of making a pest of yourself. Better: "If at first you don't succeed, wait and see what happens. If nothing happens, try a different approach. If still unsuccessful, try someone or somewhere else."

There is no substitute for hard work.

---If you are what others expect of you, it matters not how much or how little you do.

Do you agree with those and if not tell me why.

Both quotes and responses are taken from The Devil's Notebook

[Demonic]

I like the ideas here.
I feel like these contradictions here massively overpower the original quotes... and for the better!

I pretty much totally agree with all of these.
Apart form the "All things are free." one. I think that the best things in life are free. Have you ever gone for a scenic walk and been shocked by the amazing view or scenery in the middle of the countryside? That's an amazing thing in life and that's free.

[Evangelist]

I like the ideas here.
I feel like these contradictions here massively overpower the original quotes... and for the better!

I pretty much totally agree with all of these.
Apart form the "All things are free." one. I think that the best things in life are free. Have you ever gone for a scenic walk and been shocked by the amazing view or scenery in the middle of the countryside? That's an amazing thing in life and that's free.

But who keeps that place clean and beautiful? You have to maintain it and normally the government pays to clean them.

[Demonic]

I like the ideas here.
I feel like these contradictions here massively overpower the original quotes... and for the better!

I pretty much totally agree with all of these.
Apart form the "All things are free." one. I think that the best things in life are free. Have you ever gone for a scenic walk and been shocked by the amazing view or scenery in the middle of the countryside? That's an amazing thing in life and that's free.

But who keeps that place clean and beautiful? You have to maintain it and normally the government pays to clean them.

Not necessarily.
A person could go on a trek to the most remote of mountains or jungles and still have the chance to view breathtaking scenery.

[Nil]

I guess I could agree with most of them. This one made me laugh though.

Beauty is only skin deep.

---A balm for the ugly, who cannot help but harbor hostility because of their condition. The plain and ugly often mask hostility behind an unctuous or affable facade which is sometimes mistaken for "inner beauty."

Mostly because it's referenced so much everywhere. I don't know how accurate the info is there but it's interesting.

I still think the quote holds value. We only see the beauty on the outside, but have no clue of their lifestyles and personalities. We know there's a lot more to people than their looks. The quotes shows that some people possess qualities outside the boundaries of their appearance. I guess it's similar to judging a book by its cover. Assuming that someone is "beautiful" or not when you first look at them. Physically? Yes. But as a well-rounded, full individual, no.

[Customer]

This is realism at its finest.

HQ post, sir.