Telling you what you want to hear makes me an echo rather than a mirror.
From The Fears That Bind, one of 296 sayings written by John Sarris over thirty years.
From Alfred’s journal
Switch came by the fence line this morning wanting to be told that burying the walnuts under the dry pine needles was clever. It was not clever. The needles blow off and everything in this yard with a nose knows where he keeps his winter. For years I thought the kind thing was to agree first and correct later, when the correction would not sting; I agreed with a great many squirrels about a great many holes. But telling you what you want to hear makes me an echo rather than a mirror, and an echo has never once stopped anybody from walking into a wall. He moved four of them before noon, grumbling, and did not thank me, which seems about right.
He reads what you tell him and writes a page of his journal back, with a few of these chosen for you. It costs nothing and asks for nothing.
Have it on something
More like it
- A cornered animal does not heed wise counsel.
- A hungry tiger is patient only when waiting for the best moment to attack.
- People fight hardest to defend their right not to say what they are fighting about.
- Louder isn't righter.
- We will go further shoulder to shoulder than nose to nose.
- More take offense than give it.