A quotation.

[zotz]

Does anyone know the origin and accurate form of this one?

God forbid that we get what we deserve - who among us would escape a good beating?


Ta.

Comments

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

I think the word 'good' isn't in the original - possibly you're conflating it with your own saying about "some people just need a good kicking"?

I have no idea of the source, though.

[zotz]

You're very possibly right. I can't remember what the original form was at all - I've probably paraphrased it wildly.

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

Google's no help - the phrase 'escape a beating' just yields a lot of sports sites.

[green-amber.livejournal.com]

It sounds sort of Shakespeare to me actually. But then most quotes of that kind do :-)Isn't "just deserts" a Shakespeare phrase to start with?

Hmmm . . .

[zotz]

If we should deal out justice only, in this world, who would escape? No, it is better to be generous, and in the end more profitable, for it gains gratitude for us, and love. (Mark Twain)

[green-amber.livejournal.com]

Oddly I was thinking about that quote today - slightly off context in the course of looking at couples walking around and wondering if people judge you by your partner , as in "you get what you deserve", also the fairly common observation that the beuatiful people mate with their own kind.. And the thought that it is almost impossible to talk out loud about "deserving" nowadays and if our culture has abandoned causality/judgmentalism as socially acceptable .. mooch mooch..

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

wondering if people judge you by your partner , as in "you get what you deserve"

who among us would escape a minger, perhaps?

[zotz]

I'd guess that judgement's fairly ingrained. On the other hand, people who are doing better than their appearance would lead you to expect probably just have other virtues.

[green-amber.livejournal.com]

Yes :-) But more the other way round - if you value turned- out ness but your partner doesn't - will people judge you as failing by your own standards because your partner's priorities are (reasonably) different? And if so is that insight something you're entitled to use to change your partner's priorities?? Or is all judgment-passing to be discouraged?

JMS

[(Anonymous)]

On the Realms of Fantasy slush tracker, there was once a similar quotation attributed to J Michael Strazynski--it went something like, "I take great comfort in the idea that the universe isn't fair. What if the universe was fair, and we actually got what we deserved?" That's not exact, of course, but it's the best I can do from memory.

-Ximena

Re: JMS

[zotz]

"It's a good thing that life is not fair, because if it were, then that would mean that all the bad things that happen to us are because we actually deserve them. Therefore we should take great comfort in the general hostility and unfairness of the universe."

Not as good as "Life is pain, princess. Anyone who says differently is selling something", but then what is?

[ixwin.livejournal.com]

(just a friend of a friend passing through)

It's Hamlet (*double checks* Act II, scene II)

"Use every man after his desert, and who should 'scape whipping? "

[zotz]

Fantastic. Thank you.