Young people learned wise sayings in mid-20th century by word of mouth before mass media. Sayings came from a few books commonly found in homes — the Bible, Shakespeare’s works, and perhaps Ben Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac.
A few memorable wise sayings were drilled into me and my peers.
“A stitch in time, saves nine.” (Of course, that was a time when holes in old clothes were stitched to keep them presentable, before holes thought hip were slashed into new clothes.)
“Waste not, want not.”
“A penny saved is a penny earned.”
“Don’t be penny wise and pound [or dollar] foolish.”
“Neither a borrower nor a lender be.”
“Costly thy habits as thy purse can buy.”
“Finish your food; remember the poor in China.”
You might recall some wise sayings passed along to you.
Those from my youth came from parents who had struggled to raise a family during the Great Depression. They urged prudence, frugality, and careful attention to the use of resources. Don’t throw away food or anything that might be useful to you or others. Deal with small problems, like a small puncture before everything is lost. The main teaching is not to be extravagant in expenditures because wastefulness leads to becoming a pauper. Don’t spend money you don’t have because that requires begging or borrowing. The king’s advice to Hamlet as he left for France was not to live on borrowed funds because that dulls the edge of financial prudence. Nor should he lend to others, which often results in loss of both money and friend.
Such echoes from the past raise the question, do they have any relevance or value in our current context when such norms and wisdom are being ignored or discarded. Indeed, some might argue that our economy could not survive without credit cards and increasing debt that supports extravagant lifestyles. Much of our media is supported by ads, the goal of which is to cause us to yearn for things that do not contribute to wholesome or satisfying lives.
Some argue that what we call wise sayings arise from the devil’s workshop. Results become apparent in greed, avarice, miserliness, and selfishness. In fact, the poor were generous in a time before any safety nets existed other than those provided by churches. An elderly man without legs ‘sold’ pencils from a blanket on the sidewalk of my hometown. Perhaps his injury was during WW I or while working in coal mines or on the railroad. My dad never failed to place some money in his cup. Indeed, saving pennies produced the freedom to spend dollars to help others. A religious group known for what used to be called ‘puritan virtues’ asserts that money wasted by others on vices — alcohol, drugs, gambling, and immorality — is sufficient for a member’s flourishing and generosity.
The thrifty poor are often more generous than the wasteful rich. Such generosity is stressed in a corresponding set of wise sayings.
“The best place to put extra food is in your brother’s stomach.”
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
“Lay up treasures where neither moth nor rust corrupt and where thieves do not break in to steal.”
“You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.”
Such wise sayings from the past are well-worn and might seem utterly out of date. Nevertheless, give them a try. Little by little that might contribute to a more flourishing and satisfying life for your and our neighbors.
Raymond B. Williams, Crawfordsville, LaFollette Distinguished Professor in the Humanities emeritus, contributed this guest column.
