| The problem with our thoughts is that they're often wrong—sometimes preposterously so. Epictetus said we had to put our impressions to the test, to really look at them, so they don't lead us astray or into embarrassment. Nothing illustrates the necessity of this quite like what they call an "eggcorn," words or expressions that we confidently mishear and then contort to confirm our misperception. "All for not" (all for naught) and "all intensive purposes" (all intents and purposes) are two classic eggcorns, but perhaps the greatest one is doubly ironic. People who say "you've got another thing coming" are, in fact, demonstrating the need to follow both Epictetus' advice and the advice of the expression because the proper expression is actually, "you've got another think coming." All of us could use a second think from time to time. When we think we know something, when we think we've understood, that's when we get into trouble. What we need to do is listen better, ask questions, do a little research, be willing to be corrected. Our mind is not always our friend, as we said recently. We must trust it but always verify. Because without another think coming, we may well have another thing coming too. |
