Perhaps the most famous “Murphy’s Law” adage is the one that states: “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.”
The law’s name supposedly stems from an attempt to use new measurement devices developed by a man named Edward Murphy. The phrase was coined in adverse reaction to something Murphy said when his devices failed to perform.
However, in the book: “A History of Murphy’s Law ” by author Nick T. Spark, there are differing recollections years later by various participants making it impossible to determine who first coined the saying.
Author Arthur Bloch has compiled a number of books full of corollaries to Murphy’s law and its variations. The Law of Truly Large Numbers is similar to Murphy’s Law. It states that with a sample size large enough, any outrageous thing is likely to happen.
To add to an ever increasing body of material about Murphy and his law(s), Dr. John Stapp, a U.S. Air Force colonel and Flight Surgeon wrote a book entitled, “Why Everything You Know About Murphy’s Law is Wrong.”
Our LifeDaily team has researched a number of laws in the spirit of Mr. Murphy. They are listed below for you to form your own conclusions about their veracity:
Anything is easier to take apart than it is to put together.
Washlevsky’s Rule
Virtue is just vice at rest.
Gentry’s Conclusion
The cigarette smoke always drifts in the direction of the non-smoker regardless of the direction of the breeze.
Dhawan’s Law for the Non-Smoker
The sumptuousness of a company’s annual report is in inverse proportion to its profitability that year.
Hale’s Rule
When the water reaches the upper deck, follow the rats.
Swanson’s Law
In a bureaucratic hierarchy, the higher up the organization the less people appreciate Murphy’s Law.
Rogers’s Observation
The snapshots you take of your husband are always more flattering than the ones he takes of you.
Murphy’s Second Law for Wives
Whatever women do, they must do it twice as well as men to be thought half as good.
Whitton’s Law
Claim victory and retreat.
Aiken’s Solution
The one wrench or drill bit you need will be the one missing from the tool chest.
First Workshop Principle
There is no job so simple that it cannot be done wrong.
Perrussel’s Law
There is always one more son of a bitch than you counted on.
Kopcha’s Rule
If you find something you like buy a lifetime supply – they’re going to stop making it.
Gerhardt’s Law
No name, no matter how simple, can be correctly understood over the phone.
Anonymous Murphy’s Law
When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other.
Hoffer’s Law
Look around the table; if you don’t see a sucker, get up, because you’re the sucker.
Slim’s Rule
No one is listening until you make a mistake.
Vile’s Law of Communication
Spend sufficient time confirming the need and the need will disappear.
Ed’s Fifth Rule of Procrastination
‘Push’ is the force exerted upon the door marked PULL.
Filson’s Law
1. When in charge ponder
2. When in trouble delegate
3. When in doubt mumble.
Boren’s Laws for Bureaucrats
It is difficult to take issue with these examples of the spirit of Murphy.
Do you agree? Have you ever been a victim of any of these laws? Which was the worst?
Share your experiences by making use of the comments feed below.
