Roy Huggins Says Stuff

Here are two proverbs that have been coming up in my life recently. Why not test yourself and see if you can guess what culture each proverb comes from.

• The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
• The nail that sticks up gets hammered down.

Okay, the answers are pretty obvious. The first proverb is American (I believe, or at least Western) and the second is Japanese. Elsewhere in Asia they also say “The quacking duck gets shot.”

One thing Electra pointed out is that if you try to strip away the value statements, all these proverbs can say the same thing: “When you take distinctive action, you will attract attention.” I.e. if you make a noise that others are not making or if you position yourself away from other people then you will be noticed. The actual proverbs are then based on cultural ideas of what it means to attract attention.

The Americans are quick to think that one’s needs can’t be met by others unless one makes them known. So we say “Speak up! Let us know what you need!” And also “If you don’t speak up, we can’t be held responsible when you don’t get what you need.” The East Asian cultures are quick to realize that calling attention to yourself or doing something that is out of the routine is likely to attract corrective action. So they say “If you blend in and avoid making waves then you’ll live peacefully.” They also say “If you do make waves then it’s your fault when we punish you.”