Episode Details
Back to Episodes
Aird Wants You To Be a Good Example Instead of The Alternative
Description
"If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning." — Catherine Aird
This episode traces a sharp, dryly funny line back to its real origin — dialogue spoken by Detective Inspector Sloan to his subordinate Constable Crosby in Catherine Aird's 1973 mystery novel "His Burial Too." I dig into how a piece of fictional workplace sarcasm became a widely quoted maxim, and what's actually useful underneath the joke: the idea that you're always teaching someone something, whether you mean to or not, and the only real choice is which lesson you're handing them. The episode also covers an honest counterpoint — not every mistake teaches the right lesson, and "at least I'm a cautionary tale" can become an excuse instead of an accident. A funnier, more grounded look at what it really means to lead by example.
At The Quotive Corner, remember that wisdom isn’t in the quote. It’s in the reflection. New episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
If you'd like to hear more content, your support is appreciated! Please visit the link above.