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Bad news Quote by Lemony Snicket

“Of all the ridiculous expressions people use - and people use a great many ridiculous expressions - one of the most ridiculous is 'No news is good news.' 'No new is good news' simply means that if you don't hear from someone, everything is probably fine, and you can see at once why this expression…” quote by Lemony Snicket
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““Of all the ridiculous expressions people use - and people use a great many ridiculous expressions - one of the most ridiculous is 'No news is good news.' 'No new is good news' simply means that if you don't hear from someone, everything is probably fine, and you can see at once why this expression makes such little sense, because everything being fine is only one of many reasons why someone may not contact you. Perhaps they are tied up. Maybe they are surrounded by fierce weasels, or perhaps they are wedged tightly between two refrigerators and cannot get themselves out. The expression might well be changed to 'No new is bad news,' except that people may not be able to contact you because they have just been crowned king or are competing in a gymnastics tournament. The point is that there is no way to know why someone has not contacted you, until they contact you and explain themselves. For this reason, the sensible expression would be ;No news is no news,' except that it is so obvious it is hardly an expression at all.””

Lemony Snicket

About This Quote

Source Book: A Series of Unfortunate Events, 1999

The saying “no news is good news” is unreliable because lack of contact can have many unknown reasons.

In simple terms: Assuming silence means everything is fine is flawed.

Key Takeaway

Avoid assumptions; seek clarification.

Themes

communication assumptions uncertainty

Mood

cautious inquisitive

Type

philosophical practical

When to use this quote

  • friendships
  • family
  • workplace
  • online dating

Key Concepts

information theory social psychology

Questions to Reflect On

  • Why do we cling to comforting idioms?
  • How can we better handle ambiguous silence?
A Different Perspective

Silence may sometimes truly indicate no issues.

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