Text:

Only fools are positive

Context:

The informant heard this from their dad as a kid growing up in Minnesota. The example they gave me was that they would say a neutral statement to their dad such as “I walked the dog.” Their dad would respond with “are you sure?” and when the informant said yes, their dad would say “only fools are positive.” The informant said this proverb was always used as a joke in their life. Their dad used the phrase which is meant to be about not being too overconfident in a context where the informant can be confident without any concerns. The informant added that they enjoyed the double meaning of the phrase where it can mean that only a fool is positive meaning sure of what they are saying or positive meaning happy. They said that they weren’t always sure which meaning their dad was trying to use in his jokes.

Analysis:

This use of the proverb may have been mainly as a joke but this phrase has a lot more meaning to it. The proverb implies that it is foolish to be positive but given the double meaning of “positive,” the phrase can be used in multiple ways. Beginning with positive meaning overconfident or saying a definite statement, the phrase is a warning to the listener. It tells the person to not speak in absolutes and there is a possibility that they are uninformed. If they do, it might make them look like a fool when they are proven wrong. This phrase reflects some American cultural values, because an awareness of one’s own lack of knowledge is seen as a virtue. For example, in the workplace, being able to admit that you don’t know everything makes you more appealing to managers. They know you won’t overcommit or be overly confident in the workplace. This value is reflected in broader culture as people generally don’t like the cocky know-it-all and tend to gravitate towards people who are humble.

This phrase is slightly comedic with this definition. It tells a person to not speak in definitive statements but it itself is a definitive statement. It says that only one type of person is overconfident, and that no one else is.

The second way to read “positive” is as happy. In this interpretation, the phrase means that only a fool would be overly happy. Anyone else would have a healthy level of realism with the world. This implies that being too happy is bad and that realism is good. This reflects another cultural value of America where happiness and joyfulness are associated mainly with youth. As you age, you are expected to grow out of your carefree nature and come to a mindset with more realism. This phrase tells you that only a fool would stay with their unrestrained mindset and reject realism. In America, realism is valued and is associated with self-sufficiency, another cultural value that you are meant to embody as an adult.

This phrase has two meanings that on the surface look very different but, looking deeper, they both have strong ties to American cultural values of adulthood that are viewed as strengths in the workplace. It tells people to be wary of absolutes and to view the world with an amount of realism instead of being too happy-go-lucky.