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"Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it."

posted 3 years ago by TheMan18 (13128)
10 replies | jump to latest

DISCLAIMER MODE - it has nothing to do with LIBERALS so Mr Trevor and others, take note, there is MUCH more to life than "them" thank you. Not to mention, the quote above was said/written/created at a time when modern day American, or otherwise, "liberals", were probably not even remotely HEARD of.

That out of the way (hahaha). May I ask, who and when said the above quote - "Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it."

Note, in films, it was used as a tag line for Stephen King's "Thinner" (1996) (an OK 6/10 B-movie horror thriller) and in a way, that was also a theme for other films like John Frankenheimer's brilliant 60s sci-fi paranoia thriller "Seconds" (1966) (his second best work after "The Manchurian Candidate" (1962) and one of the best movies EVER made, perfect 10/10) and others, heck, you could in a way add "Aladdin" (1992) to the mix as well, OK it had a HAPPY ending but lots of struggle first to get there.

And also, what do you think about it? Also, here comes my beef with it...

In nearly ALL cases that one quote is referred to, it nearly ALWAYS related to someone getting what they want and desire but in a SICK way, as in, with NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES associated with it. But then why can't always or even sometimes, a person just "gets" what they "wish for" and simply do so in a POSITIVE sense and one that makes them happy or at least satisfied? Why all this fear about getting what you want and not live even remotely in "euphoria" or is it because we humans deep down inside KNOW that almost EVERYTHING in this life comes at a PRICE to pay and nothing can ever be completely free of negative, undesired, harmful (to whatever extent) etc consequences and side effects?

Or maybe there is something else to it, does anyone know or think they know?

Anyways, "Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it" - what do we think, thanks.

[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 3 years ago

I looked this up and many sources state that this adage comes from one of Aesop's fables titled "The Herdsman and the Lost Bull."

The story concerns a herdsman who loses his prize bull calf and prays to the gods that he will find it. He finds the calf... however, it has been killed and a hungry lion is feeding on the carcass. The herdsman now has a new wish... that he can safely escape the lion.
The moral: "Be careful what you wish for, lest it come true."

It is believed Aesop lived sometime between 620 and 564 BC, so this saying is well over 2000 years old. The original fable had a negative ending because it was meant to be cautionary; this would explain why the phrase continues to be associated with negative consequences to this day.

Personally, I can appreciate the wisdom associated with the saying, but I feel it's another one of those expressions that has lost much of its impact because it has been so overused.

https://fablesofaesop.com/the-herdsman-and-the-lost-bull.html

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 3 years ago

Another related saying " There are only two tragedies in life. One is not getting what you want, and the other is getting it. " - Oscar Wilde

[–] TheMan18 (13128) 3 years ago

So why, whether according to Oscar Wilde, or otherwise, is "getting what you want" in any way, shape or form, in and of itself, a "tragedy"?

How come what we may desire is what we end up regretting as opposed to being even simply satisfied with it, let alone, be happy as a result of it?

[–] Owlwise (1536) 3 years ago

Because what we believe to be what we most eagerly & desperately want may turn out not to be that after all. Sometimes you have to get something before understanding that you don't really want it, you never really did, that it's a substitute for what you actually want deep down inside, or that it's made your life worse, not better.

Look at plenty of lottery winners, for example -- they think that they've hit it big, that all their worries are over, that all their problems are resolved. Yet in many cases, their lives are destroyed, because there are almost always unforeseen consequences of getting what you think you wanted most. Or else you're not emotionally & psychologically prepared to handle the vast changes in your life, changes that you might never have imagined beforehand.

How many women have been insulted & treated cruelly by the men in their lives for being overweight? Yet when they do lose that weight & suddenly become attractive & desirable, the men often feel threatened & reject them. It can work the other around, too, men getting in better shape to please their women, then finding those women threatened by it. What was meant to save a relationship actually destroys it.

The problem is that what we consciously want, or think we want, may just be a false goal we've set for ourselves to compensate for unconscious fears or doubts that we can't see or acknowledge about ourselves. And the only way to discover that is by getting what we thought we wanted.

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

It's when the beautiful blonde dream girl you've been lusting after for years finally becomes your girlfriend, and you find she's boring or horrible and the two of you have nothing in common.

And everyone who said "Be careful what you wish for, you must might get it" during the yearning period understood that the two of you had nothing in common and could never be happy together, because people say that when you want something without understanding it.

[–] TheMan18 (13128) 3 years ago

True, but wants and desires, including of men, aren't limited to beautiful women alone.

It could be a nice house, wanting to have lots of money, a right to eat delicious food, nice car, a job, an education, losing weight, feeling happy, movies, music, an IPHone etc etc etc.

Also, just think about the ways in which that phrase is constructed. "You might just get it", as in, getting what you want in and of itself is something to be afraid of.

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

People only say "... you just might get it" when you are about to do something stupid.

If you want, say, a house that's a great investment, a comfortable place to live, and not much trouble to keep up, people say "Wow, what a great idea! Go for it!". But if they say "Be careful what you want, you just might get it", you are about to make a great big obvious mistake.

[–] TheMan18 (13128) 3 years ago

So the phrase then is meant to be interpreted metaphorically, otherwise, it would've been like - you wish for something, you get what you want, you're happy.

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

No, the phrase is meant to be interpreted as a warning. A veiled warning.

[–] Owlwise (1536) 3 years ago

Precisely. Human beings consciously think they know what will make them happy, but are often unaware of the unconscious factors driving that belief. The tangible thing may well turn out to be an empty bauble once it's achieved. For instance, a man who felt he wasn't good enough as a child may strive for worldly success & get it, yet still discover that what he really wanted all along was the approval & respect of his parents. And he still may not get that from them even after his success. Then what does he do? Where is the happiness he sought?