Double Standards

db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com to Lefty Memes@lemmy.dbzer0.com – 1854 points –
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… but it’s just a few bad apples. Most cops are very fine people.

Edit: /s Jesus

I'm sorry, kinda hilarious that you had to add a sarcasm tag. And sad.

I was hopeful the two separate clues - “just a few bad apples” plus “very fine people on both sides” would be a banger. Maybe it was just too good.

Nah it's because there are people who actually believe that shit so it's hard to gauge sarcasm.

It's a lot like how people make jokes about landlords. A lot of the people are being sarcastic but there's enough of them that are serious that you can't really tell the difference.

The original intent of that metaphor is correct in your use, but it’s rarely recognized. It began as “a rotten apple quickly infects its neighbor.” Over time, it became “one bad apple ruins the bunch.” Now it’s used as just “one bad apple” to infer minimal or selective corruption, completely discrediting the point of the analogy.

It's also worth noting the implication of the full phrase. If you remove the bad apples quickly enough, then you can save the rest. If you can remove the corrupt elements, then you can protect the group overall. If you leave them to fester then you'll have a lot more cutting required to clean up.

It's kind of ironic that you had to add the /s since most people never think to finish the adage.

A few bad apples spoil the bunch

Like "pull yourself up by your bootstraps", its full meaning has been cut off in order to support the opposite point.

... they fine just a few people. But most apples are bad cops.

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