This is a saying that my father used to always say to me when I would ask for something, state an ambition that I had, or a goal I wanted to reach. I never quite got the meaning of this phrase, but it cracks me up none the less.Friend's Theory...
A friend tried to explain the theory saying that wants are invisible, thus would never fill up your hand, however, shit, a solid matter, would fill it up quickly....
And My Thoughts On That...
That makes absolutely no sense, wants are indefinite, you never stop WANTING things in life, so therefore, that hand would always be full.... shits on the other hand, happen once a day if you've got a high fiber diet, which would already exclude that hand from being full faster or first.
The Point of it All...
This is what I can't figure out... regardless of which hand got fuller faster first, why does it matter? What's the relevancy of the statement?
If a child says.. "I want that toy"--- I'd like to know how telling them to "want in one hand, shit in the other and see which gets fuller first" is going to help the situation... if anything, you're going to end up with a big mess and a "well, you told me to do it" at the end of it all.
And Now...
I'm now convinced, as an adult, this was just a phrase to make me wonder what the hell is he talking about... and in turn inevitably shut me up...However, I am open to other theories of the statements relevancy. Leave a comment with your thoughts on the statement.
25 comments:
what about it simply meaning.....
you are not gonna get it.
the phrase see which one gets fuller first makes me think that he was daring you to have shit in your hand. but you would never do it. therefor it would always be empty similar to your other hand.
i just made that up, and it makes no sense. but regardless to the meaning, its an intriguing title to you blog. and i will check daily to see how it progresses.
If you put a want in one hand, you won't get shit in the other.
In other words, you don't get shit from wanting; you have to actually persue it to make anything out of it.
It's like telling a Christian, instead of praying that the homeless be fed, go out and feed them. Doesn't have to be of religious affiliation, but the point still stands.
Lol Amber , I thought myself and my siblings were the only ones who grew up hearing that phrase . My mother used it when she wanted to shut us down quickly. When she said it , that was a definite "shut up , you aren't getting it" , no need to come back begging. I see you're in LA . Something tells me , we must have some other area of the country in common . Must be a cultural thing . My mother hails from the Ozarks.
My dad said it too. It was was clear what he meant was that wishing was a worthless abstraction - produced nothing of itself. While shitting was real and reliable, even inevitabl, if disgusting. It made clear that being passive and hoping would produce nothing while reality kept on moving. In the race of life - passive wishing was a losing strategy.
I believe it means that wishing / wishes are a waste of time - - - wants, needs, desires are filled by efforts, not wishes
Well try it and post a video lets see what happens
All of these explanations of the meaning of that phrase actually make sense. Here's another comical explanation:
I said it to my son. I read to him the initial explanation posted above. His response, well I have ADHD so of course I'm gonna analyze it and not shut up.
Wish in one hand, shit in the other: see which one gets filled first*
Yes
Ok so your father was likely telling you it was unlikely that what you wanted would be possible due to various constraints i.e financial ect. Not to be taken literally in any way it was a kinder way of replying to "daddy i want" than "too $@%*ing bad"
I always thought that it was a want vs need thing. You can fill your hand with wants but if you don't need it, it's just shit.
I just saw this saying, and I want to comment on it
It means 'wants' happen to us and we think every specific want will make us happy, yet, it is only a matter of few moments after having attained that want and that strong desire for that want will fade away. After a while, that want possibly becomes a load on one's shoulder. It is like: one wants iPhone 8, after few months, S/he would yearn to have iPhone x, then, XS or XSMax, thus, a want is most of the time a burden on your shoulder that you work for. That's why I think your father has given you that response. Yearning for the thing will not practically make you happy, but in theory, it does.
although I come from thousands of miles away from your culture, yet I hope I could make it sensible to you.
Kind regards,
my dad told me that same thing growing up.. i thought it meant your wants dont amount to shit... beings wants are not solid matter...
I always thought that it meant you were as likely to have shit in your hand as you would have a want since wants aren't a physical thing? Also who wants shit in they're hand? Neither is gonna make happen what you want?
It was discussed on "a way with words" here: https://www.waywordradio.org/wish-in-one-hand/
That's my thoughts. .. Especially as an adult it's extremely insulting and kind of demeaning. What ever happened to reach for the MOON, even if u miss you'll land amongst the STARS?!?
Don Spangler (rest his soul) use to say this to me and I took it to mean... "Don't bother its not gonna happen." He was very Southern.
After reading all of the above comments, I have settled on the meaning I will use going forward: Action is the key to attaining desires.
I do believe the context has been conflated over time? For example, if you are a child and wishing for a birthday present... not sure this applies... On the other hand, if you are behaving as if you are entitled to your wishes (outside of holidays/birthdays) without effort... well, I think this saying hits the mark!?
In the end, we can have the grandest wishes for "stuff," but, if we take no action, then we will remain empty-handed.
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I am confused. Enlighten me to what wanting and shittiing again means? If we don't want for anything they'll won't ever be any bs
What does this idiom precisely mean? Excuse me lingo, however is the lingo
Oh
I like that thought!!!
I grew up hearing the same exact thing and my interpretation of it was "want all you want, you're not getting it" and that most definitely the hand you shit in would obviously fill before the hand of want. I don't know that it's all that cultural, lm leaning more towards generational, because it seems we are all from different regions. Just my thoughts. Thanks for sharing!!!
Hands are wants and decision/actions. Want in one hand while you shit on your life(other hand) with your actions and decisions and see which one fills up first
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