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Pithy phrase for challenging long cherished beliefs

Which phrase would you chose to challenge long held beliefs?

  • Kill the sacred cow

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    6

ygolo

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In many corporate boardrooms, and similar circles, people often encourage the challenging of long held beliefs as a means to make breakthroughs.

The use the phrase "killing sacred cows" as a pithy phrase to describe this idea. For example, see the following book: https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Sacred-Cows-Overcoming-Destroying/dp/1929774516

Recently, I heard someone use the phrase "corrupt the pure race" for this purpose, and it made me laugh out loud. I feel like it is more likely to get people to be irreverent and to actually challenge beliefs since the old phrase has become stale.

I, myself, would would favor a phrase like "corrupt the master race", "pollute the master race" or something like that.

What would your phrase be?

edit: the poll is public
 

Lark

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So you've had a long standing belief in a master race and racial purity?

I see the true purpose of your thread then.
 

The Cat

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"Pickling the Cheese."
 

Maou

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Long held beliefs exist because they helped our ancestors survive, even if they are outdated, they should be respected for bringing tribes together. That is what it means to have culture. One shouldn't forget where they came from. They can change how they do things, but it should be thought about a lot more in depth than hedonistic impulses. Trying to restrain and control our animal instincts, is what separated us from the animals to begin with and made us more intelligent. Religion specifically, is about this. Religion is what gave birth to the modern civilized world. It is the past, and present of most civilization. One shouldn't discard their history and culture for progress. Progress can still be made, while respecting the past.
 

ygolo

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So you've had a long standing belief in a master race and racial purity?

I see the true purpose of your thread then.
LOL.

I know you're joking. But, taking the comment seriously, the people in board rooms, and the author of the book I linked did not have long standing beliefs that cows were sacred. The analogy was used so that they could encourage the business people to reconsider beliefs that may be holding them back.

"Pickling the Cheese."

Can you expand on how that phrase should be interpreted? What is "Pickling the Cheese" supposed to evoke?

Long held beliefs exist because they helped our ancestors survive, even if they are outdated, they should be respected for bringing tribes together. That is what it means to have culture. One shouldn't forget where they came from. They can change how they do things, but it should be thought about a lot more in depth than hedonistic impulses. Trying to restrain and control our animal instincts, is what separated us from the animals to begin with and made us more intelligent. Religion specifically, is about this. Religion is what gave birth to the modern civilized world. It is the past, and present of most civilization. One shouldn't discard their history and culture for progress. Progress can still be made, while respecting the past.

Sure. But at times, the long held beliefs are also the sources of long standing problems. In the case of corporate board rooms, and in the book I linked in the first post, the analogy of "Killing sacred cows" is used as phrase to encourage the challenging of long held beliefs. The book in particular explains that usage (you can see the author's interpretation in the amazon.com preview).

Nevertheless, the merits and demerits of challenging long held beliefs is not what I was hoping to focus on. Rather, I wanted to focus on the much narrower question of what analogy or pithy phrase ought to be used to encourage people to challenge long held beliefs on the occasions that such beliefs need to be challenged.
 

Maou

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Sure. But at times, the long held beliefs are also the sources of long standing problems. In the case of corporate board rooms, and in the book I linked in the first post, the analogy of "Killing sacred cows" is used as phrase to encourage the challenging of long held beliefs. The book in particular explains that usage (you can see the author's interpretation in the amazon.com preview).

Nevertheless, the merits and demerits of challenging long held beliefs is not what I was hoping to focus on. Rather, I wanted to focus on the much narrower question of what analogy or pithy phrase ought to be used to encourage people to challenge long held beliefs on the occasions that such beliefs need to be challenged.

Like I said, change. But remember the reason those beliefs worked in the first place. Most people take them at face value, but there is a lot of thought that went into them.

I think all of those phrases are a bit... weird. I don't like any of them. I would say something more simple, like "Evolve".
 

The Cat

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LOL.

I know you're joking. But, taking the comment seriously, the people in board rooms, and the author of the book I linked did not have long standing beliefs that cows were sacred. The analogy was used so that they could encourage the business people to reconsider beliefs that may be holding them back.



Can you expand on how that phrase should be interpreted? What is "Pickling the Cheese" supposed to evoke?



Sure. But at times, the long held beliefs are also the sources of long standing problems. In the case of corporate board rooms, and in the book I linked in the first post, the analogy of "Killing sacred cows" is used as phrase to encourage the challenging of long held beliefs. The book in particular explains that usage (you can see the author's interpretation in the amazon.com preview).

Nevertheless, the merits and demerits of challenging long held beliefs is not what I was hoping to focus on. Rather, I wanted to focus on the much narrower question of what analogy or pithy phrase ought to be used to encourage people to challenge long held beliefs on the occasions that such beliefs need to be challenged.

It may be interesting, and even fun to do, but is it really necessary?
 

Siúil a Rúin

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I'm not sure I understand this thread, but in light of nowadays all I can think of is the phrase...

"What goes around comes around".

Sometimes true. Sometimes not.
:shrug:
 

ygolo

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Like I said, change. But remember the reason those beliefs worked in the first place. Most people take them at face value, but there is a lot of thought that went into them.

I think all of those phrases are a bit... weird. I don't like any of them. I would say something more simple, like "Evolve".

"Evolve" is simple and I suppose it has a similar meaning. There is also "Think outside the box". But "Kill the sacred cow" is meant to be provocative...as is "Corrupt the master race"

It may be interesting, and even fun to do, but is it really necessary?

Not at all necessary. It is indeed for interest and fun alone.

Tickling The Elders

This one made me laugh too. The imagery of it. :D

I'm not sure I understand this thread, but in light of nowadays all I can think of is the phrase...

"What goes around comes around".

Sometimes true. Sometimes not.
:shrug:

It's a good phrase, and a popular one. However, we were looking for phrases to encourage people to challenge deeply held beliefs.
 

The Cat

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"Evolve" is simple and I suppose it has a similar meaning. There is also "Think outside the box". But "Kill the sacred cow" is meant to be provocative...as is "Corrupt the master race"



Not at all necessary. It is indeed for interest and fun alone.



This one made me laugh too. The imagery of it. :D



It's a good phrase, and a popular one. However, we were looking for phrases to encourage people to challenge deeply held beliefs.

Hence: you're "Pickling the Cheese" :D Cheese is already a way to preserve dairy pickling it could also be like putting a hat on a hat
 

The Cat

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and it just flows right: "Don't pickle the cheese Kevin."

"I get her point, but I think Rhonda might be pickling the cheese."
 

Siúil a Rúin

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It's a good phrase, and a popular one. However, we were looking for phrases to encourage people to challenge deeply held beliefs.
For some reason it seems to me that most pithy sayings are the deeply held beliefs. I'll try to think of one that isn't.
 

The Cat

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Pepperidge Farming where the bodies are buried.

 

Julius_Van_Der_Beak

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What about "That cow they've been milking is a male"? It sounds folksy enough to take off.
 
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