“What goes around comes back around”

Nationality: American 

Age: 22

Occupation: Student

Residence: LA, CA but from San Francisco

Collected Feb 27, 2025

Primary Language: English

Context:

“This is a very common proverb and my I know my parents didn’t use it a whole lot growing up so I’m not entirely sure where I first heard it but I mainly think of the Justin Timberlake song when I use it or hear it. I interpret the saying as what you put out into the world will be reciprocated back to you. The main context I hear it used in is when someone is doing something clearly wrong or immoral someone else might use it to warn them that they’ll get “bad karma” for what they did.”

Personal Analysis:

A very common proverb, but one that remains common largely because of how true it seems to be for most people. I think the historical and societal values this saying is based on are one that preach, at least in theory, fairness. The idea that positive conduct is not done in a vacuum but instead rewarded, and that for those who are evil or dishonest that the same will be done unto them. I think this is a relatively Christian belief, or at least within Christian morality, or possibly within the Buddhist idea of karma.