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Yes you can

Posted by Lewis on September 23, 2005

In Reply to: You can't be too careful posted by Smokey Stover on September 22, 2005

: : : : Hi,
: : : : I wanted to know what is meant by the sentence "You can't be too careful here" and "I couldn't care less". As long as I think on this sentence (the former), I come up with different meanings-hidden,obvious and what not. Any enlightened soul, please HELPPP!!

: : : You and a friend are walking down a street barefoot.On the ground you see tiny pieces of glass scattered about and your friend states "You can't be too careful here".

: Obviously "You can't be too careful" means "If you are as careful as you can possibly be, that is not excessively careful," or "You should be EXTREMELY careful." If it suggests many things, it is because it is useful in several contexts. You should be careful of your feet when you're walking barefoot. You should be careful around dangerous machinery, or when driving. And, since words can be dangerously slippery, you should be very careful how you express yourself in a bureaucratic setting--for lots of reasons. In fact, in memos sent to the boss, you can't be too careful. SS

excessive caution is a manifestation of paranoia and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

L

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