The bad idea of "that's not a bad idea"
We have some dog treats that Sadie doesn’t like; she seriously spits them out. Standing in front of the refrigerator, I say to my husband, “should we just throw them away?” “No, we’ll get rid of them little by little by throwing a few over the fence into the neighbors’ yards for their dogs,” Richard says with a sly grin on his face. “That’s not a bad idea” I say. This is not the first time I’ve used that phrase, and I’ve been catching myself using it more frequently with friends and family. Why do I say that’s not a bad idea rather than actually acknowledging a good idea, or dismissing a bad idea? As per my nature, I took to the internet to see if I could find some clarity on the origin or psychology of “that’s not a bad idea” but instead I was barraged by headlines and copy that used the phrase: “Paying Attention to PC Makers is Not a Bad Idea” Motley Fool June 12, 2013 “Tao of Pooh? Doing nothing not a bad idea in this market, says GMO’s Montier” InvestmentNews...