two wrongs don’t make a right

two wrongs don’t make a right

Meaning | Definition

  • the fact that responding to a negative situation in the same manner will not make things better in any sense

Example Sentences

  1. You cannot leave the kitty because she was rude to you. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
  2. I know that two wrongs don’t make a right and hence not going to do anything about what he did to me and how much that hurt my sentiments.
  3. My cousin very well knows that two wrongs don’t make a right and will not be touching the goons himself. We have already called the police helpline to deal with these thugs.
  4. My aunt believes that two wrongs don’t make a right so she has been silently accepting the ill treatment from her mother in law. But in my opinion what she is doing is still not right.

Origin

The phrase is the exact opposite of what is mathematically true, that is two negatives make a positive. This is because in behavioural sciences, if a person is yelling and another person responds will yelling then the resultant discussion will not become a silent one. It will in fact be chaotic. The phrase does not advocate accepting the wrong but instead strategically states what would not be the right thing to do in such a situation. While the literary source could not be accurately traced, the phrase is speculated to be around since the early 19th century.

T 3 Thoughts

3 Thoughts

I think this phrase is a bit Biblical in the sense that it is better to “turn the other cheek” and/or forgive a person that has done you wrong.

The irony is that this goes against our animal instinct to seek revenge and/or to as much, if not more, harm to someone that has harmed ourselves.

Maybe these are valuable teachings on how we are supposed to rise above primate status and differentiate ourselves from animals?

- I’m old October 15, 2019

The origin was horrible

- you know I’m right October 25, 2018

Sending of stories about proverbs is an ideal thing

- Gokul November 18, 2017

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Idiom of the Day

marry in haste, repent at leisure

Meaning: if you marry someone without knowing the person well, you will later regret your decision to marry

Example: Sally and Bob had hardly known each other for a few months before they decided to get married, and now they are having big problems. Marry in haste, repent at leisure! Read on

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