Murphy's Law.

[Radelaide]

I've been wondering lately, does anything think that there is ANY truth to Murphy's Law - "Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong and at the perfect time." Or any other of the laws around.

Personally, I do. And my friend has a saying "If I ever meet Murphy, heads will roll". What do you think?

 

[PurpleRain]

Definatly. Murphy basically stalks me with his pitchfork and hooved feet.

I guess it's just a way to explain why things happen sometimes as hillarious or in a terrible fashion at the worest times. Just say Murphy's Law and you're set for anything.

 

[TunaCanner]

I think there is, I'd really like to know the history behind this and how it actually started. Murphy's law is a constant because there is always a possibility for something to go wrong and it does, but because we're so used to it we don't even notice when it happens, thought the rule is actually governed by what you think is bad or not. For example, for an optimistic person the Murphy's law can't always apply, it's a really random law.

 

[KefZ_X]

Sounds more like if somthing goes wrong blame Murphy.

 

[Khedive Rex]

I think it's real but in desperate need of editing. I think there are things you can do to stave off murphy's law or instigate it. For a law I think it needs a bunch of confusing clauses, subsections and loopholes.

 

[Lvl 64 Klutz]

Of course I don't believe it. It's the same principle as saying "It's always in the last place you look" (of course it is, you shouldn't keep looking if you've found it)

If you were to think of everything that could go wrong and start to list it, you would die before you even finished what could go wrong during one particular second.

Ten things that could go wrong right now:
-I could suddenly lose power and lose this post I'm typing.
-I could have a random muscle spasm and knock this glass off my desk
-I could misspell the word ending this particular sentence. (see? I didn't)
-I could fall off my bed, hit my head on my desk and bleed to death
-I could choke on my own saliva (I've done it before)
-My light could go out, leaving me to slowly type the rest of this in the dark
-Some random drunk person could throw a rock through my window
-A spider could crawl down from the ceiling and bite me.
-I could get heartburn
-The sun could suddenly combust, causing the apocalypse.

None of which happened. Myth busted.

 

[the monopoly guy]

I personally know Murphy.

nu-uh
It's like rule 34, but sane.

Klutz, you may not have gotten heartburn but I did, thanks alot.

 

[Lord Krunk]

Murphy was an optimist.

Also: Keep a good distance from Mrs. Murphy.

I live by these laws, because they are always right, without fail.

 

[BlueMage]

I'm an engineer - of COURSE I know Murphy's Law to be true, especially as regarding end users.

 

[Copter400]

The full version is: "If there are two ways of doing something and one of them leads to disaster, that way will always be done first."

Unless the show I watched years ago lied to me.

 

[wahi]

I've been wondering lately, does anything think that there is ANY truth to Murphy's Law - "Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong and at the perfect time." Or any other of the laws around.

Personally, I do. And my friend has a saying "If I ever meet Murphy, heads will roll". What do you think?

Murphy's is the only truth in this world...
that is what i have finally realized from this world and my rather brief stay here...

seriously i think that Murphy's is a bit like astrology... you don't notice it when things go right, but when they go wrong, as they are prone to, all you can do is damn Murphy to hell and back

 

[Saskwach]

I'm an engineer - of COURSE I know Murphy's Law to be true, especially as regarding end users.

And so was Murphy, I hear. Engineers: we know what we're talking about.

 

[wahi]

So, what's the difference between Murphy's Law and Sod's Law?

sod's law?? never heard of this one..

 

[Alex_P]

I've been wondering lately, does anything think that there is ANY truth to Murphy's Law - "Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong and at the perfect time." Or any other of the laws around.

Personally, I do. And my friend has a saying "If I ever meet Murphy, heads will roll". What do you think?

We perceive things that way, sure. The human brain, little different from the one we had in the Stone-Age, is prone to thinking in terms of anecdotal evidence and anthropomorphisms.

-- Alex

 

[Unknower]

So, what's the difference between Murphy's Law and Sod's Law?

Everyone's heard of Murphy's Law but hardly anyone has heard of Sod's Law.

 

[Skalman]

Of course I don't believe it. It's the same principle as saying "It's always in the last place you look" (of course it is, you shouldn't keep looking if you've found it)

If you were to think of everything that could go wrong and start to list it, you would die before you even finished what could go wrong during one particular second.

Ten things that could go wrong right now:
-I could suddenly lose power and lose this post I'm typing.
-I could have a random muscle spasm and knock this glass off my desk
-I could misspell the word ending this particular sentence. (see? I didn't)
-I could fall off my bed, hit my head on my desk and bleed to death
-I could choke on my own saliva (I've done it before)
-My light could go out, leaving me to slowly type the rest of this in the dark
-Some random drunk person could throw a rock through my window
-A spider could crawl down from the ceiling and bite me.
-I could get heartburn
-The sun could suddenly combust, causing the apocalypse.

None of which happened. Myth busted.

But you see, because you are thinking abotu those things going wrong, you obviously aren't thinking about something else that is going wrong.

You see, murphy's law indicates, that whenever everything is going right, something is always wrong. You just haven't found that something and when you do you'll understand.

If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which something can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop
You see?

Edit: I've just realised, you're talking about what can go wrong, murphy's law states that anything that can go wrong, does. It also indicates that when something goes wrong, it is usually something you are not prepared for. For instance, of all those things, you are prepared for them to happen, subconsciously or not. If a spider fell from the ceiling, you would be prepared for it, so in terms of the law, it is not viable. also, now would be a good time to mention you cannot simply be prepared for everything so therefor, something that you are unprepared for will happen and it will be bad.

If you apply Murphy's Law, it will no longer be applicable.

Exactly!
It's not a matter of if something will go wrong, it's when it will go wrong.

So, what's the difference between Murphy's Law and Sod's Law?

Everyone's heard of Murphy's Law but hardly anyone has heard of Sod's Law.

To my understanding they're the same things, just different names.


EDIT: Sorry for having such unbearably long quotes in my post.

 

[creepy_rabbit]

i guess theres some truth in it for example try putting butter on a sandwich and then make it fall to the floor; it will never land on the side without butter o it

 

[portuga-man]

Certainly not. In cases where everything depends on you, murphy's law is just a lame excuse to justify your actions. If you have the murphy mentality, then things will go wrong. If the universe is on to you, you'll know it thanks to the black hole at your doorstep.

On cases with many variables, though, such "law" may be true. In my opinion, it can only be applied to a very small number of cases, making the "law" almost nonexistent in my book.

 

[Rshady]

So, what's the difference between Murphy's Law and Sod's Law?

Everyone's heard of Murphy's Law but hardly anyone has heard of Sod's Law.

Impossible! Everyone knows Sod's Law!

Maybe it's an English thing? I heard of sods law before I heard of murphy, both of which are %100 true.

 

[wahi]

So, what's the difference between Murphy's Law and Sod's Law?

Everyone's heard of Murphy's Law but hardly anyone has heard of Sod's Law.

Impossible! Everyone knows Sod's Law!

and pray my good brethren, what is it ek-jak-tly?