Post 112: Catching Flies

I think this phrase is not particularly accurate. Not that I have spent much time trying to catch flies, and if I were, it wouldn't be with honey or vinegar it would be one of those fly strips. I mean, let's face it, sure the flies will go to honey, but as sticky as it is, it might not actually trap them unless they land in it.

The same way just being nice to people might attract them to you, but it won't actually guarantee their continued presence in your life. Not to say that it would be better to be sour to people. However, there is more to keeping friends than just being nice.

Actually, I read an article that says being nice all the time can actually hurt you. Not in the 'people might take advantage of you' kind of way, but in a people find it annoying and tiresome. The article recommends that for every four good deeds you reach around and slap someone in the back of the head. Not literally, I suppose, but...who knows.

Still, it makes sense. People finding it off-putting when they are around people who are always happy or cheerful, seems like the same would be true if they were around someone who was always nice and sweet but never anything else.

If changed to 'attracting' flies with honey it might make more sense. But even then it is a little sketchy. If someone genuinely wants to attract people, they obviously will be nicer to them.

However, what works even more accurately is -

'You attract more flies with B.S. than with honey'. While literally it makes sense, metaphorically it also rings a little true.

Telling someone what they want to hear as opposed to just being nice, will more than likely get them to come by easier.

Like, 'you are such a great singer' sounds a lot better than, 'it wasn't bad, but I think you should probably do something else'. However, it could hurt them more in the long run.

Anyway, I like the phrase and there are moments where it does make sense. But, other than moments where someone is being annoying or rude to someone else, wherein they know exactly what they are doing, it serves no real purpose.