Men's Group

galileoreloaded

(2,571 posts) Mon Jul 1, 2013, 02:46 PM Jul 2013

sour grapes

In an old fable by Aesop, a hungry fox noticed a bunch of juicy grapes hanging from a vine. After several failed attempts to reach the grapes, the fox gave up and insisted that he didn't want them anyway because they were probably sour.

do you give up?

8 replies

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sour grapes (Original Post) galileoreloaded Jul 2013 OP

Sour grapes make the best whine Major Nikon Jul 2013 #1

Only when the futility level is so high it becomes idiotic not to. MrSlayer Jul 2013 #2

I have in the past. Denninmi Jul 2013 #3

Well, given sour grapes or sweet lemons HuskiesHowls Jul 2013 #4

While striving for something, even against strong odds, is noble in principle Warren DeMontague Jul 2013 #5

They always come back for another one or a hundred swipes at the grapes ProudToBeBlueInRhody Jul 2013 #6

Lol. Addicted to the drama. Yep. Nt galileoreloaded Jul 2013 #7

Oh, are we talking about "Doug"? Warren DeMontague Jul 2013 #8

Major Nikon

(36,900 posts)

1. Sour grapes make the best whine

Reply to galileoreloaded (Original post)

Mon Jul 1, 2013, 03:18 PM

Jul 2013

MrSlayer

(22,143 posts)

2. Only when the futility level is so high it becomes idiotic not to.

Reply to galileoreloaded (Original post)

Mon Jul 1, 2013, 03:29 PM

Jul 2013

Like playing God of War on god mode. I have to give up after I die a hundred times on the first boss. It's just beyond my skill.

Denninmi

(6,581 posts)

3. I have in the past.

Reply to galileoreloaded (Original post)

Mon Jul 1, 2013, 06:04 PM

Jul 2013

And it didn't serve me well. I am trying very hard to never give up. Winner's don't quit - cliche but true.

HuskiesHowls

(711 posts)

4. Well, given sour grapes or sweet lemons

Reply to galileoreloaded (Original post)

Mon Jul 1, 2013, 09:40 PM

Jul 2013

I'll take the sour grapes every time.

I don't give up, I 're-evaluate'.....

Warren DeMontague

(80,708 posts)

5. While striving for something, even against strong odds, is noble in principle

Reply to galileoreloaded (Original post)

Wed Jul 3, 2013, 12:59 AM

Jul 2013

Continually doing something stupid over and over again expecting better results is, likewise in principle, not.

So I guess it depends. On a lot of things. Presumably the moral of the fable is "never give up". But some Quixotic quests really ARE just a stupid waste of time. The company that pours money into a project long after it knows it has no hope of success. The country that does the same, with a war (see: Drug War, Viet Nam War) ...The alcoholic who continues to think that THIS time will be different, as the first drink meets her lips.

The flip side of this fable is what is known as the "sunk cost fallacy". Maybe the Fox is finally wising up. And after that, who gives a fuck what he says to himself to make himself feel better?