Tag Archives: warning

“Play Stupid Games Win Stupid Prizes”

Nationality: American
Age: 23
Occupation: US Marine
Residence: Fort Mead, Maryland
Language: English

Text: “Play stupid games win stupid prizes”

Context: This folk speech is commonly used in the military as a warning to others not to make “stupid” decisions because they will result in “stupid” consequences. Quoted are examples provided by the informant for using this saying:

“If you do dumb things, that’s what you will get as a result. Like not taking out your trash or making your bed (stupid game) and they check it and they flip your mattress or throw the trash on the floor (stupid result).” Another example given was “you fall asleep with your rifle, you play stupid games.” 

Interpretation: With the high expectations that come with being military personnel, this folk saying essentially encourages each other to perform the duties that they are expected to perform by authority figures. Often in the military, when one person makes a mistake, everyone gets in trouble, or the consequence is ridiculous as shown in the informants’ examples. By warning each other of the consequences to unnecessary mistakes, they are looking out for their team by potentially saving themselves from over-the-top consequences that come with the smaller mistakes.

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. 

Gratuity Proverb

Age: 20 

Date of performance: 02/11/2025

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Student 

Primary Language: English

Title- ‘Don’t Bite the Hand That Feeds You’

Context- A is a student studying Human Biology. A shares a saying that his dad tells him whenever he criticizes him for random things— “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you”. A says “My dad always says that whenever I ridicule him about things, telling me that he is the one who pays for everything so I should be quiet”. 

Analysis- Proverbs are very common in everyday life as they are short, catchy phrases that carry a bigger meaning while giving advice. The proverb ‘Don’t bite the hand that feeds you’ serves as a warning to stop being ungrateful towards those who provide for you while emphasizing the privilege of being able to be taken care of. A’s father using this proverb as a way to convey this message to A is very fitting as I have heard it from my parents as well. I’m sure most people have heard this phrase or a variation of it from their primary caretakers/providers, especially if gratuity is not explicitly shown.

Santa Ana Winds

Fields:

AGE: 24
Date_of_performance: 02/20/25
Language: English
Nationality: United States of America
Occupation: 8th Grade teacher
Primary Language: English
Residence: Pasadena, California

A friend commented on the winds that impacted the LA fires early this january. she said that she was able to “smell the Santa Ana winds.’ she claimed that people who grew up around LA are able to smell when the santa ana winds are going to come in. the context of this quote was she was commenting on the winds were going to blow in and change the fire distribution.

Quote: “i can smell when the wind changes, like the day before it just smells different.”

Due to the extreme weather that surrounds this area in southerjn california its very lickly that some residents can detect slight changes inb the atmosphere when the strong santa ana winds blow. it creates a cultural identity of being local to LA and makes one feel more connected to the land even though it is a concrete heavy city.

Warning From a Ghost Father

Nationality: American
Age: 18
Occupation: College Student
Residence: Norristown, Pennsylvania
Performance Date: November 29, 2024
Primary Language: English

CONTEXT:

The informant holds this story as a memory from her childhood as she has now begun college. Her father passed away from cancer months after she was born and has been raised by a single mother. She has a close relationship with her mother and often learns about her father and his character. The story is a close connection to her family that her and her mother reminisce on. She is my lifelong best friend, and this story was told to me by her and recorded with the details she provided.

STORY:

“When I was really little my mom had a ghost encounter. I had a nanny for a while who would babysit me and take care of me when my mom was still working at her current job or if she was out late. Well, one night she was out pretty late and came home after I was asleep. She heard a bunch of footsteps or noises coming from upstairs where my bedroom is.”

“…I obviously don’t really remember this because I was still a baby, but my mom remembers it well and told me when I was older. But after hearing the noises, she walked upstairs to go to my room, and she thought she saw my dad, who died a year or so prior, in the area outside of my room upstairs. She said it was like an outline of him whose arm and finger were pointing into my bedroom, almost urging my mom to go in. She was caught off guard and entered my room.”

“…From there, she found a hat on top of the lap in the corner of the room. The light was on and the hat was scorching hot, like it probably would’ve started burning or catching fire within minutes. It most likely would have turned into a fire if she didn’t think she heard someone or something happening upstairs when she came in. The hat situation happened because my nanny made a dumb mistake and put the hat on the lamp while it was on and it got hotter and hotter. My mom fixed the situation at almost the perfect time after seeing the sight of my dad at the entry of my doorway.”

INFORMANT’S TAKEAWAY

“The sighting of my dad has to be connected to the problem with the babysitter. Considering it wasn’t very long since my dad passed away, I think he was definitely giving my mom a warning sign and kind of reconnecting with us in a sense during that moment. My mom hearing the noises right after entering the house also shows how she was meant to go up just in time. It’s genuinely such a crazy story and experience. My dead dad helped stop our house from catching on fire!”

PERSONAL THOUGHTS:

Ghosts tend to connect to superstitions or real-world events in unique ways like this. I think the sighting of the father’s ghost figure really brings together the concept of family and security. The ghost showing up to the mom not long after passing reveals the authenticity of the story, especially considering how he showed up during a time of danger with the burning hat. It also makes sense that he was there for his daughter since he died shortly after her birth. Overall, the mom’s experience underscores how ghosts appear to their families at certain important times.