English Proverbs

English Proverbs – Familiarity breeds contempt

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English Proverbs

Proverb Expansion

It is the fact that if we are too familiar with some object or some person, we develop dislike or contempt for the object or the person concerned. Close acquaintance with someone or something causes us to have contempt for him or it. When we do something so many times, we may become so familiar with it that we will be careless about doing it. Things and persons usually look more attractive when looked at from a distance. Once they are near us, they may not look as attractive as before. People who live in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal may be indifferent to its glories. But those who live at great distance and who heard of its magnificence may travel long distance to see it. So it is natural for people to be fascinated by something which is not within their easy reach. This proverb is more applicable to human relationships. It is always better to keep a limit to our mingling with other people. Too much mingling and unnecessary interference in other people’s affairs can create contempt. When we see a person daily, we will start to lose interest in him. But if he is an occasional visitor, he will continue to remain an interesting person. A great artist who is our immediate neighbour and whom we know very closely may not evoke so much respect in us as a less meritorious artist who comes from a distant place does. Similarly, if we eat the same food every day, although it is very tasty, we will soon get fed up with that taste. Thus the proverb tells us that too much familiarity with anything makes us bored.

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