Tag Archives: criticism

Men in glass houses, should not stand up in the bath

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Language: English

Informant (A.B.): “[It’s] is a proverb that always resonated with me. Introduced to me by my father, I like the play on the classic proverb ‘men in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones’. The parody aspect of the proverb gives it a layered meaning. Sometimes life isn’t about destruction, but intense humiliation. My interpretation is that it’s okay to crave attention, but don’t commit to a life of transparency if you value privacy.”

Interpretation: A.B’s version of the original proverb “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones” shifts the focus from hypocrisy to vulnerability of privacy, focusing on the tension between privacy and visibility. The original phrase serves as a warning against criticism against others while one is equally flawed, but this version highlights the dangers of self-exposure. The rewording emphasizes that not all mistakes lead to major catastrophes; some lead to embarrassment, making it a reflection on modern concerns about public image and social status. Nowadays, social media disturbs the line between personal and public life, but the proverb serves as a cautionary reminder that visibility and social image come with consequences. Transparency has its limits, and self-awareness is key to navigating a society where exposure can lead to both recognition and ridicule. 

Good Enough For Government Work

Occupation: Data Analysis
Residence: Salem, Virginia
Language: English

Text: “Good enough for government work” (folk speech/proverb)

Context:

G is my father, who was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, who now lives in Salem, VA. His family owned a lot of farmland and they didn’t quite live in Richmond, but about 25 minutes outside of the city. It was pretty rural, definitely not suburban, but there were a few neighbors every once in awhile. He has many many pieces of folklore that he says, he has heard people say, and he has from books or movies, in my family he is pretty much known to have a proverb or saying for everything.

G- “I have done a job, be it raking leaves, or cutting grass, or painting a big round table, where I did the best job I could do but it could never be perfectly done and when I finished the job, I say ‘that’s good enough for government work’, meaning if it had been inspected by a government official, they would sign off on the work being done and complete.”

Interviewer – And where did you first learn of it, or if you don’t remember, have you heard anyone else ever use it?

G- “I learned it from my father, but I have heard many people use it.”

Analysis:

The phrase “Good enough for government work” is a colloquial expression often used to suggest that a task or job has been completed adequately but not necessarily perfectly. It implies a level of acceptable or sufficient performance, often in a somewhat tongue-in-cheek manner. When researching where it cane from, the origin of the saying is not precisely known, but it has become a common part of American English, particularly in informal settings. In my interpretation it is somewhat of a criticism or social commentary of the government and the checks that go into things It has evolved into a broader expression acknowledging that achieving perfection in certain situations may not be practical or necessary. It can be used humorously or pragmatically to convey a sense of meeting a standard without excessive attention to detail.