So last night, one thing lead to another and two people were faced with the possibility that they had heard a common phrase and had completely misunderstood it.
At the end of G.I. Joe cartoons, there would be a little PSA type message. Some kid would be doing something and a G.I. Joe character would come along and give them some advice. It would conclude with the line “Knowing is half the battle“.
One way of interpreting this message was that G.I. Joe was reminding its audience that this knowledge wasn’t enough to win the battle, but one must act on this knowledge as well. Remembering and follow through are key to win the battle.
Another interpretation is that G.I. Joe has helped you get halfway through the battle. That before the PSA, you were a lost cause. But now, after being exposed to their educational PSA, you are much further along. In fact, halfway through the battle.
Both sides were shocked that there was another interpretation – as they had grown up seeing only their interpretation of the tagline.
Is one right? More correct than the other? Or do we all, as individuals, find within the G.I. Joe messages, what we each really need to hear?
I think the most straightforward distinction is whether “Knowing is only half the battle” or “Knowing is already half the battle.” Given how completely inept the kids in the PSAs were, we have to assume that GI Joe was implying that knowing is already half the battle. That without this knowledge the kids were indeed a lost cause.
i think sargent slaughter was a lost cause.
Anyone with the cobra clutch at his disposal was definitely not a lost cause!
fyi: scooty was VERY excited about this conversation.
which part of the conversation?
So – I’m of the slant, “Knowing is ONLY half the battle.” And Dan and his cronies were thinking it was “already” half the battle. But the best part was, how incomprehensible the other point of view was to each of us. I had to keep on asking them to explain their side again, cause I’d keep on forgetting it, since to me, there was only one way to parse the phrase.
I lost a lot of cred though, when I admitted I had trouble with the phrase “Second to none” when used in beer commercials. I thought the list went like this:
Beers you want to drink:
1 – none
2 – miller lite (or whatever beer it was)
3 – miller’s competitors
So – I wouldn’t want any beer. But if I had to drink some beer, if I really had to – well, then I guess I’d have a Miller Lite.
I still don’t really drink Miller Lite.
Oh – and while we’re at it, “Go ahead score” and “double edged sword” are other phrases I’ve been challenged by.