Murphy’s Law
The Real Story of Murphy’s Law
Alex Santoso, May 10, 2007
http://www.neatorama.com/2007/05/10/the-real-story-of-murphys-law/
Murphy’s Law is an expression that means, “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.”
In 1949, the U.S. Air Force put volunteers into a rocket sled, made it go very fast and then stopped it quickly. The Air Force wanted to test how humans coped with rapid stops, using sensors (small electric devices) attached to the sled harness.
But something went wrong: one volunteer was stopped so suddenly that his eyes bled. He survived. Murphy, the harness inventor, was furious. He discovered that a technician had installed the sensors backwards. Speaking of the technician, he said, “If there is any way to do it wrong, he’ll find it.” This became known as “Murphy’s Law.”: “If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong.”
Here are some examples of Murphy’s law:
“A dropped piece of bread will always land butter side down.”
“The line at the supermarket check-in next to you will move more quickly than the one you’re in.”
“If you lose a sock, it’s always from a complete pair.”
Students:
Do you agree with Murphy’s Law? Do things tend to work out well or go wrong?
Describe a day when everything seemed to turn out badly for you (or someone you know, if you have never had a very bad day).
English Language Pages 
I totally agree with Murphy‘s law. If I wanted something to buy, there was not ‘that‘ product in the store. If I did not want to meet anyone because I was not wearing any make up, I came across my boyfriend in the school. This kind of situations happened almost everyday. Also, I have lots of experiences about Murphy‘s law.
I have really hated rainy day since I was elementary school student because of Murphy‘s law. When people are young, most of them want to go on a picnic or trip, also young people enjoy outside activities. Likewise, when I was young, I always expected excursions in my school. In that day, my mom usually packed the lunch for me and I shared with my friends our lunch together. Can you imagine how friendly and lovely day was?
However, mostly it was not reality but only my dream because of the rain. My trips were canceled frequently because of heavy rain. I was disappointed and cried all the times. Because of this reason, I still hate rainy day. It always makes me mad.
You might have been disappointed a lot. Surprisingly, my excursion was never cancelled by any reason!
Oh, I relate to your saying that “If I did not want to meet anyone because I was not wearing any make up, I came across my boyfriend in the school”. 🙂 Also, I hate rainy day because it makes traffic jam in morning that makes complicate commute from home to school!
OH I have really same experience. YES, When I decide to buy something, there was not ‘that‘ product in the store. That is really angry, ha ha.
Maybe, Murphy’s Law can be trauma and obsession, which continue to distress people like you. I hope you to overcome it and to enjoy rainy days!
Not the same reasons, I also hate the rainy day. Watching rain inside is peaceful and its sound is nice to listen. However, when I walk through the rain, my shoes all gonna wet, my pants also. It’s really disturbing!
Maybe it can be possible that what you want to buy is the best and popular selling product.. When I looked for the popular shoes to buy, I also failed to buy them at the first 2~3 shops. Then, before I go to the shops, I call there and check if they have the product. By this, I don’t have to go there without buying!
Have you experienced that it is rainy every your picnic? Have you only came across your boyfriend when you do not wear make up? I think these situations are very few exceptions. Due to strong bad expression, you may keep remembering long time.
I agree with you with rainy days. Every time when I try wearing my favorite dress, I fail because of the rain. It really annoys me.
My birthday is middle of june. Yes, it’s rainy season in Korea. Because of that, I couldn’t play with my friend at outside. After I grew up, my birthday was final exam period. During my school days, I always can not enjoy happiness of my birthday. That’s one of my Murphy’s Law of the past.
Definitely, pouring rain ruins a special day…Your episode reminds me the band Travis’ song named “Why Does It Always Rain On Me?”. Still, we cannot simply believe the forecast. I hope technical advance in the future will settle this daily life problem.
I totally agree with your idea especially when I go out without make up, I always meet someone who I want to be looked pretty. Similarly when I put on make up well and dressed nicely, I do not meet anyone important to me.
I agree with the first experience, if I wanted something to buy, there was not ‘that‘ product in the store. It always happens to me, too. I’d not had my own Murphy’s Law but now I think it can be my first Law.
Yes! about the product, it’s easy to happen Murphy’s law
because people have similar taste, some products get out of stock quickly ,so we could feel like it happens all the time around us.
oh so that’s why she ran away from me at the store?
I strongly believe Murphy’s law because it is much affected by people’s psycohology. In my case, in a day when I have been doing well, I continuously get confidence to function well that day and tend to be positive to my surroundings. On the other hand, in a day when I make a trifling mistake, I feel so embarrassed and down that I have difficulty with dealing with situations that happen that day. Despite of the situation I could easily control in other days, I cannot help but thinking that “I cannot do it.” and the things would get worse. I think these emotional effects mostly decide whether people can do it or not. This is why I make efforts to have positive thinking about me everyday.
A few days ago, I experienced Murphy’s law. In the morning, I woke up late, so I was about to late for school. After that, I discovered that I misunderstood the due date of my assignment! While I knew it was due by the day after yesterday, it was originally due by that day.. I worried about damage to my grade and blamed me for not paying attention to professor’s notice. In addition, in another class, I did teaching demonstration in front of people and professor, but evaluation for the demonstration was terrible and I found that I am a man of poor caliber. This kind of negative thought overwhlemed me and melancholy lasted for several days…
You might have been annoyed at the day. I partly agree with you in point of Murphy’s law works psychologically. But I think it depends on how someone accpect bad event. If people don’t care much about bad event and are not annoyed a lot, Murphy’s law will not works.
I partly agree with u. Literally we are bahaved by the psychological factors not the logical consequences.. haha so in my perspective, it is much closer to the coincidence
Wow, your experience is really, really similar to mine! But we differently concluded the similar situations. As RIP said, I also think if feeling about the situation can be changed according to individuals, then Murphy’s Law cannot be a ‘law’ any more. So, although it is difficult to find some good thing from the situation right now, someday your experience may be a firm foundation when you encounter a similar situation.
Bad days make us depressed. By the way, good days make us really fresh and happy. There is no infinite happiness. So we can think positively when we get a really terrible day.
Don’t bother you by negative thinking. Thinking positive thinking! I also same with you. So I always try to think positively.
Yes. Definitely, one bad thing break my confidence and confidence control my whole day. I try to ignore it but it’s hard to overcome.
I also think that having positive mind is most important. Every situation depends on how you think. We should need to have positive mind and be thankful for everything.
As bad things always happen together, I think bad luck does too! Anyway, tomorrow will be a bunch of good luck, I hope it can compensate the day of bad luck you had few days ago. So cheer up!
I’m sure Murhpy’s law is based on psychological effect. If one starts to worry about something, the one worries about everything around the one. That’s the reason why we need to think positively when bad situation comes
When I was a young boy, I believed Murphy’s Law like a law of nature. It was due to my terrible experience. I still remember the worst day, as if it was yesterday. First, I was late at school, since I forgot to set an alarm. After school, It was raining to greet me. I was very disappointed, because I had a promise that I do a fireworks display with my friends. I walked in the rain without umbrella, and arrived to home. However, as soon as I arrive home, rain was stopped. Although my clothes were wet, I felt good to expect that I can play with fireworks. Nevertheless I couldn’t enjoy fireworks display. While I go to buy fireworks on that evening, I had traffic accident. It was truly a tragic day. I though there must be a reason why terrible events occur successively.
In constant, now I know there is no certain law. Successive bad events are just a coincidence. In everyday life we have experienced many normal cases, mixed with good and bad events. It is so typical and routine that we can’t realize. We are surprised and impacted by abnormal case. People only look at what they want to see. So we felt there are some laws ignoring numerous counterexamples. Thus, Murphy’s Law is a human’s unscientific illusion based on belief, as people believe a personality by blood type.
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“…as people believe a personality by blood type.”
Actually, unlike people who believe in blood types, I have never meet anyone who seriously believes in Murphy’s Law (although I’m sure there must be some). Murphy’s Law is typically used to to lighten up an unfortunate event. It’s idea spread widely, I think, because experiencing a series of unfortunate events seems to be common amongst all people at some point in their lives.
I have a few of my own Murphy-like laws.
Todd’s Law of Dinning: A clean white shirt attracts tomato spaghetti sauce.
Todd’s Law of Traffic Jams: The other line always moves faster.
Todd’s ex-girlfriends’ Universal Law: Whatever something bad happens, it’s Todd’s fault.
I also like these ones:
Olivier’s Law: Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.
Jacob’s Law: To err is human — to blame it on someone else is even more human.
The Golden Rule: He who has the gold makes the rules.
I laughed out loud when I saw your third law. That is very, very persuasive. 😆
I like the third one too. zzz
I really agree with all of your three law hahahaaha
There are many laws that really arouse my sympathy. It is very interesting.
It seems many agree with the Todd’s Third Law! I will save my word this time. 🙂
What I want to say is that actually there are some people believe the Murphy’s seriously,or at least, they seem to do. They define themselves as an “originally unlucky guy”. They usually blame their some faults to their bad luck. Feel sorry for them.
hahaha I agree with all of your three laws. It’s so funny.
That is exactly what I think about Murphy’s law. Many people usually forget good case of something. Of course it may affect people’s mind to accept certain events, then this mind affected by Murphy’s law may affect some event. But it can’t affect reality as itself.
From the morning to the accident, I think the day can be called the worst day in your life. I have not yet encountered that kind of experiences at one time, although I have separately. What a creepy coincidence! 😯
I strongly agree with you! I think unscientific belief like the Law or Blood type-characteristic theory can cause the bigger problem than we all may expect.
even though it’s just coincidence, if we find out the rule as a funny rule about the life to understand coincidence as it is, Murphy’s law has value on it like Todd
Actually I don’t believe that Murphy’s law is absolute rule like laws of nature: gravity, inertia etc. I think it just works in psychological aspects. A few years ago- actually I can’t remember exact details anyway- I red an article about Murphy’s law. According to this article, people tend to remember bad events more vividly, than good or normal ones. For example, if someone waits to cash his or her products at the check-in line in supermarket, the possibility that his or her line moves more quickly than others is 50%. Becoming like that or not. Many people might have gone through both of cases similarly in reality. Due to the tendency I mentioned above, however, many people must think they always wait more time at the check-in line. In other words, many people think Murphy’s law works completely to them. A funny point in here is that all people believe they are always in worse situation than others. Then who experience good event in the world? That’s why I don’t believe Murphy’s law as a real rules.
That is what I exactly think. Because the bad things tend to cloud the good things, we are difficult to find positive aspects of a situation. So, I have an strategy to deal with it. Before the situation starts, I suppose the worst situation which can occur. Then, when the situation occurs, the actual results of it are somewhat bearable.
WOW your comment is really persuasive. I think it’s true that most people just focus on the bad things and forget about the good things.
Your comment reminds me of these proverbs “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. or the apples on the other side of the wall are the sweetest. or our neighbor´s ground yields better corn than ours.(남의 떡이 더 커보인다)”
I agree! Who on the earth would memory the day in the supermarket when they chose “appropriate” line or “not bad” line? We memory the things selectively.
I don’t believe Murphy’s law too. This is pervaded in our daily life. Well, it could be not a big problem, but it is fact we must make clear.
I agree with your opinion. I think Murphy’s law just justtify that bad situation just happens by chance in a row.
I do not trust in Murphy’s law that much, because whether things go bad or well is up to individuals. Thus, in the same situation, one may think the situation goes well, whereas another may think it goes bad. Even later, one can change his or her feeling about it. For example, on the midterm-test day, I woke up late and did not have much time –I just had about ten minutes- before the test started. When I was running to the class, I thought, ‘Why was this happening today of all days? Even, the midterm-test day!’ I could not really make sense the situation, because I was usually tend to be punctual. Although I was not tardy, I could not concentrate on my test, catching my breath. After the test, I did not feel good all day long, and everything seemed to get worse. Talking with my friends, however, I realized that it was fortunate that I was not tardy and was able to take the test. Had I not taken the test due to oversleeping, it would have been the real bad thing. So, I think that everything depends on how individuals feel a situation. Of course, there is possibility that we could do self-justification, but thinking positively is an important thing to our lives. Keep in mind ‘새옹지마(An evil may sometimes turn out to be a blessing in disguise).’
I agree with u ! I really dont believe the murphys law
Some people see a glass of water that is midway full in different ways. An optimist thinks the glass is half full; a pessimist sees the glass as half empty. People who invoke Murphy’s Law tend to be more pessimistic (a glass half empty person). However, using Murphy’s Law can be a lighthearted way to assess an unfortunate situation.
Oh, I heard about that expression-a glass of water. When I was a soldier, I had to keep a night watch. Thus, I had to wake up in the middle of the night for vigilance. When I told my father the wakening, he said to me that expression and recommended me to think differently. Also, he said, “Thanks to the vigilance, you can sleep twice a day!” Since then, my army life had changed more positively.
Actually, it is very confused to me. I believe Murphy’s law but i don’t want to believe this because this was made by our thinking. And also this thinking affect on our day. So from now on, i try to have more positive mind always!! 🙂
I like ‘새옹지마(An evil may sometimes turn out to be a blessing in disguise).’ Our attitude to something is more important. We all have good times and bad times. For this reason, we don’t need to fluctuate between hopes and fears. Just keep calm, and keep working
Yeah, I think it’s very important to deal with some situations that could make people feel frustrated. Murphy’s law doesn’t help to deal with the situations ,but with positive thinking, we can handle the situation and overcome it
I agree with Murphy’s Law. In my perspective, Murphy’s Law is a psychological symptom that sociological people have. Because they are humans, they tend to find the causes outside of themselves, not inside of them. Thus, they try to find and match between the results and the external elements. Then they usually conclude that they are relevant and showing cause and effect relationship. In my experience, these days I was stressed out about my school work. There were full of team works that I had to do. Also, so many things that I have to do at that time. Still worse, my parents were fighting at that time so I was not comfortable when I went back to the house. Even worse, I lost my wallet. I felt miserable that I wanted to give up all the things at that time. I think it was coincidence by the way. However, at that time I thought it was Murphy’s Law. Lol.
You were surrounded by enemies on all sides. It seems that you had a very tough time.
It’s so pity you had terrible events simultaneously. Even though I don’t believe the Murphy’s Law, I realize that sometimes it should be need in case such as your experiences. Without Murphy’s Law, it’s cruel to impose all of the responsibility to oneself.
I don’t think that Murphy’s Law is an absolute law. Somedays it works, but somedays it doesn’t. Almost everybody including me experience the day that everything goes really well. Bus comes right after I arrive the bus station, what I want to eat discounts, achieve a high grade and so on. Like this, someday everythings could go wrong way. Also I think that the person’s mind(or attitude) causes Murphy’s Law. If a person is insensitive enough to ignore the happening of bad things, he doesn’t believe Murphy’s Law.
Recently, I had a bad, bad day. That day was the last friday. I had to visit the art museum because I should write a report until sunday. However, I woke up late so there was no time to eat breakfast and prepare relaxedly. I went out without eating anything. Until I visited the art museum, everything was good and I was satisfied with the museum and the artworks. The next thing I had to do was going to the Uniqlo and buying clothes that my sister required. Before that day, I visited Uniqlo in discount seasons many times, but that day the customers were too many than I expected. I waited to pay clothes more than 25 minutes – I didn’t eat anything – and I felt dizzy. It was too tired. Then I went to the Burgerking to buy burger. I carried one bag and two shopping bag and it’s raining. In addition, I lost my way to the bus station. It was terrible day I recently experienced.
I am sorry to hear that. You might be very hungry. Hunger is shaper than the sword. Perhaps hunger has crazed my mind…..
When I ride a bus, the bus is always stop at the signal lamp. It is kind of the Murphy’s law. And when we drop the jammed bread, it might be fell down at the side of jam part on the floor, and it messed up. It is also the Murphy’s law. We can easily find those Jinxs. But actually the Murphy’s law is not that good thing to us. Those laws make us unpleasant. But I think we can enjoy those experiences and let them overcome.
The first example makes me crazy especially when I late the school class. And the second example is so sad…
When I am sometimes late school class, promise or other cases, I get so nervous. To make matters worse, traffic jam and signal lamps makes me be more late and nervous.
makes -> make
Also, it seems I always have to wait for the maximum time to get a bus!
I also totally agree with Murphy’s law but I try not to believe this. I think people are so much affected by their own thinking. As we heard many times about ‘People should have positive mind’, apparently, believing this law affect our life a lot. Actually, in the morning, if we meet bad situation, we will think ‘ Today is bad’. These thinking makes and affect our day badly and sensitively. When I was a high school student, as I had very important test, I had to go destiny early. However, in the morning, electricity of our apartment went out. This being so, my morning schedule were delayed and it never rains but it pours, weather was rainy. so I was late at test although I got up 3hours early. As a result, I couldn’t made good grade at test. After finishing the test, when I went back to home, I narrowly missed being run over. So on the day, I just stayed at my bed quitely. Of course I was so afraid but in retrospect, these all things were made my stereotypes about just my bad situation in the morning. Nowadays, I try to overcome my negative thinking and try to have positive mind always.
Yes I agree! I think the balance between pessimism and optimism is important.
I completely agree with you! People tend to be affected by their bad thinking. It must be helpful to be mild and think positively.
I have never thought it in that way! Yes, most bad things in the morning determine whether the whole day is good or bad, though some bad situations occur after the morning.
I agree with your opinion. Everything depends on the way you look at things. If we look everything positively, we may be guided by positive thinking. As a result, our lives are improved.
I like your attitude and the attitutite is important
I agree with Murphy’s law. A crucial cause that made me become to believe Murphy’s law is my father. Since childhood whenever my father gives the car a wash, it’s always raining on that day. Because of rain, father’s car wash always became useless. Since this occurrence has been repeated over several years, at one time I ridiculously believed that father intentionally washed the car according to raining days. Likewise, Murphy’s law of my father occurs unexceptionally, so I can convince that Murphy’s law must exist.
I also experience Murphy’s law often as well as my father. I had a very bad day last winter. It was a day when I took an essay examination in one university. In the morning of that day, it was drizzling and I was depressed because of a humid weather. On the way of going to the university by father’s car, my father and I got trapped in a traffic jam so I hurriedly got out of the car and decided to use a subway. However, unfortunately I made a mistake of taking the wrong subway! Therefore, although I left my home early, I arrived at the test site just before the exam begin. When I took the exam, I felt uncomfortable due to previous unlucky events and eventually I ruined the test. This bad day describes well the saying “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.”
I agree with your experience. Because I have similar experience that related in test. I have a stomachache in mid-term and final-term. So I have to go restroom before the test. I think this reason maybe I am too worry to the test, so this worry affects in my stomach. Ha Ha Ha so every mid-term and final-term, my stomache is always clean!!
It’s a pity that you had those awful experience related to Murphy’s Law….My father also has similar experiences with your father. I think it’s the Meteorological Administration’s fault.
In my opinion, you were lucky to arrived at the university in time, although terrible events happend right bofore the test 🙂
As my experience, if you had thought, “oh, it’s fortunate for me to be able to take this test!”, your feeling might have been better. Especially at the day of a test, positive mind is important to our mental health.
When we have something important ahead like an university entrance exam, we should do mind control or metal care. Unless we do it, we can’t do ourselves justice in the exam.
Maybe you guys also experienced bad things at least one time. In my experience, for example, when I woke up late, traffic jam is so serious and the bus do not come quickly. Unfortunately, as I got up early and had a plenty of time, it comes many times. Like this, these bad things happen, terrible things happen continuously. And especially important day, I mistake a lot. I never do not mistake in practice but I always mistake so many time in real. So I often used to think “It must Murphy’s law!” But I believe Murphy’s law only half percent because it connected in our psychological and behavior even though I experienced a lot. Thinking deeply, this bad things are appeared by myself. Because I woke up late, my mental is nervous and make me hurry. And also my mistake is related in psychological and behavior. So I think all these bad things are not effected by this law.
“Terrible things happen continuosly”, I really agree with your idea that I also have been experienced same things, which are traffic jam and there are no buses or taxies when I am late…
Yes, certain bad things make us nervous, then the tension also makes us commit some blunders, and the mistakes again make us feel worse. It is a kind of a vicious circle.
Error is always in haste. If we are in the psychological stability, error is reduced dramatically. On the other hand, if we are nervous, we continuously repeat mistakes.
I agree with the existence of Murphy’s law. everyone has own Murphy’s law in mind. In my opinion, this law appears when a person encounter something which can be a weakness or a fear. And I also have a Murphy’s law ; nightmare
When I dream a nightmare, I think my bad day is started. I become feel sensitive about everything. And I start to consider everything in a scary way. For example when I see the restroom opened, I am afraid because I feel there might have been a horrible figure like ghost. Or when I see the abstract painting on the wall, I also regard that as some fearful painting. So, connecting everything with scary images makes me nervous on every events. And that makes me do mistakes. When I do my part-time job in the market, I was writing addresses for package. And on that day, I had a nightmare. So I wrote a different address and my owner said a little bit of bad words to me.
So, nightmare is the one that makes my entire day gone bad. If I can, I want to dream all the happy moment. I think when I overcome this day-ruining nightmare, my day will be more confortable.
How horrifc day it is!!
I’m sorry to read your mistake at part-time job. It’s so sad to be told bad words just because of the nightmare. I wish your Murphy’s Law would disappear and you always have a wonderful dream that you can spend time with boyfriend.
I think it is better for you to develop an ability to deal with your nightmare. In other words, try to replace your nightmare with pleasant thoughts!
I don’t totally agree with Murphy’s Law. It is similar to jinx. Human beings try to find a correlation in the things are not related to incident and ascribe our failure to fate. All people tend to have difficulty in accepting their faults or bad incidents. For this reason, the tendency of relying and interpreting something is occurred. At the result, it makes superstition. If some accidents are sequentially happened, we are certain of the law. It’s just a coincidence It’s true that in life there’s always ups and downs.
Recently, I experienced Murphy’s Law. I had thought double-major in accounting during the long time of taking a break for school. From this semester, I returned to school and waited to the period that apply for double major. Finally, the university informed the notice about double major this semester. Reading the notice, I was very shocked. Only school of accounting did not recruit students who wanted double-major because this school already recruited fixed number of students the previous semester although in principle, fixed number of students should be recruited half and half a year. Alternatively, I applied for school of business management as double-major. Unfortunately, I was also not recruited this school because my GPA was a little low to be selected though I might be selected in other semesters. Due to a series of misfortunes, my future plan is needed to change completely.
In Korea, there is a expression, ‘가던 날이 장날이다’, meaning that when we want to do something, unexpected things affect us. But, I think this also is up to us. If we think positively, we can see the world more differently.
Wow, it is the exactly appropriate proverb. You are so genius !!
I definitely believe “Murphy’s Law.” I have lots of my experiences to support it.
For example, about one year ago, I was crazy with bracelets so I decided to make my own. After searching the internet, I found that there is a plaza that sells various cheap bracelet materials in ‘Dong-Dae moon.’ But on the first day I visited there, the plaza didn’t open because it was a weekend. And also I failed to buy it again in the second chance because it was a national holiday. Furthermore, it was their own holiday on the third chance. After that, I just quit to make the bracelet.
Also every Monday, I eagerly want to eat chicken but Monday is chicken restaurants’ only holiday. But I always forget it and try ordering it. I REALLY HATE MURPHY’S LAW!
That’s too bad….If I was you, I got really mad and didn’t go dong-dae moon again! I’m sorry to hear that you gave up your hobby because of Murphy’s Law.
I don’t believe Murphy’s Law. It’s common that people define their series of bad experiences, including missing a bus by a whisker or waking up late in the morning as a Murphy’s Law because they start a day with unfortunate happening. I think that’s the way to ruin a day. Other things that are included series of unfortunate events can happen at any moment, not especially the day started with bad event. It must be a worthless day if people define the day of which they suffered the Murphy’s Law. I’ve thought that people might want to compensate their mistakes by shifting the responsibility of series of terrible events to Murphy’s Law. Therefore, I rather believe Sally’s Law, the opposite idea of Murphy’s. This law, stemmed from a movie named When Harry Met Sally, means fortunate events continue to happen to someone. I believe this law can make people happy. Everything depends on thinking. If I miss a bus by a whisker, I think it’s lucky to take the next bus and don’t late for class. I try to hypnotize myself to change the bad event as a fortunate one.
You have a positive mind 🙂 Although I believe Murphy’s law, there is an element of truth in what you say.
oh i agree with your opinion.
mostly, it depends on one’ thinking way.
William Shakespeare left a famous saying that “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. Have you ever heard about this? It means that there is no absolute good or bad, but there is only thing that your thinking just makes how it affects something. Something happen good or bad is just a random chance. If you are in an unfavorable circumstances, everything may happen badly and it will make the situation complicatedly. On the other hand, if you are in a pleasant situation, the whole things may work properly and you can go fast or slow as you want. In other words, this means that the whole thing depends on how you think about. All of the things are a matter of opinion. When you think badly about something, the whole things are going also badly just follow how you think and see. Therefore, I do not agree with Murphy’s Law. I also have similar experiences as other students describe above. For example, one day I overslept so there was little time to prepare to go to school. I was embarrassed that unfortunately this would not happened with me for a couple of months. Anyway, I tried to prepare as fast as possible without stopping and got off straight. I had always went to school by walk, but as I mentioned before, there was no time to school in time so I ran quickly to bus stop. Although it was a time attending school but the bus was not coming in succession. After all, the bus was arrived, but I already knew that it is time to late. I did not feel good, but I attended left class without my book; I forgot to bring it. However, I knew from one of my friends lately that there was no attendance in today’s class. Then quite simply, I felt better and there was only good things that happened. In this way, there is no Murphy’s Law, but there is a thinking. Everything in life is just flowing away, and you who are living in this unpredictable river experience various incidents every day continuously. And, only you judge the situation as good or bad when the incident is finished. There is no day that everything seemed to turn out badly for you. We have to see what will happen finally.
“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so”..This is a really, really good expression. I will keep in mind. Thank you for sharing that phrasing. 😆
If anything go wrong, it will go wrong, the Murphy’s law. I agree with that law. In my experience, I had a time to drive a car to go to my grand mother’s house. Her house is in Incheon, not far away from my house, Seoul. It was late morning and when I started to drive, side-brake was locked. I forgot to unlock it. There’s something feeling bad from the beginning. When I started my way, since it was weekend, the traffic circumstance was really bad, it was hard to enter the highway. I changed the line to precede the cars after mine. However, it was the worst choice. The second line was even worse that my previous line. It took 3 hours to get my destination which usually takes one and half hour. Likewise, when I came back same thing happened. After that day, I never drive car when go to grand mother’s house.
I agree with Murphy’s Law. Some people says that the physiological factors like tension, nerve, or feeling of responsibility lead people to unfortunate consequences. Of course, that is reliable argument. However, although it seems more similar to just chain of events, I believe Murphy’s Law is actually exist. In my case, many appointments which related to spend money always made in period that I don’t have enough money. You might think it is just problem of my thoughtless spending habit. Unfortunately, it isn’t. Actually I don’t spend money on useless things. Most of the time, I try to save my pocket money. Nevertheless, every time that I must make an appointment, I have no enough money. Not only case of the meal, but also special affairs like sending a package by delivery-services or buying a railroad ticket. How strange! Because of those unfortunate experiences, I believe the Murphy’s Law’s existence.
I also agree with Murphy’s Law. and this affect people in psychological aspect. in my case, one day I feel really tired and pimples came out in my skin. so that day I can’t apply my make up cosmetic well. so I looked very very gaunt and I didn’t want to go anywhere. but Unfortunately that day I have to go out to submit some papers. so I went out. and worsely outside wind was blowed strongly. and my hard conctact lens went out because of the strong wind. that cost 20million wons. I kneeled and looked for my lens in middle of the street. but I couldn’t find it and I lost it……….. it was very bad It means that I lost my eyesight. so I could’nt go anywhere beacause I don’t know where to go. so I went back slowly without acheving any purposes.
I believe ‘Murphy’s Law’.
Me and my friend went travel on every summer vacation. We prepared and reserved accommodation one or two months before our dates of travel. And we looking forward to traveling for the whole month.
However in the weather forecast one week before the day of trip, the forecast said there would be rain in that day. It was too late to change the dates, so we just complained that “Why always raining whenever we are going to trip?”
And have you ever thought that why the buses, which I took, were always late? Whenever I waiting the bus, I thought my bus was always late!
So some people might think, it’s just a coincidence, I definitely agree with the ‘Murphy’s Law’.
Feel sorry that rain ruined your plan What the more bad thing is, when we cancel some events because of the rain forecast, that day will be sunny! What a Murphy’s law.
I’m surely believe that there is Murphy’s law. In my case, I also experiences Murphy’s law with my friend and we said “Today everything happens by Murphy’s law.”. Three months ago, my friend and I went to Myungdong in seoul to experience korea traditional dress, Hanbok and take a pictures. However, Murphy’s law began when we leaved from the town we live. The first thing happend was we went to the market to buy some drinking and after buying what we want, we left them on the counter… and next we called to the store where we can lend Hanbok. We wanted to book at 4pm but the bookable time was only after 7pm So we had no choice to go that time. The last thing was we talked as a joke that what if there’s no beautiful Hanbok? Unfortunately, it became true… The other people lent beatiful Hanbok already so we had to choose not that pretty dress. That day I felt there is Murphy’s law in real.
Before making an agreement or not, Let’s make a clear definition of the Murphy’s Law.
If the Murphy’s law means a “joke” to lighten a bad luck happened to one, what would be the use of agreement or disagreement against a joke? I think the Murphy’s Law is a recommendable, good joke to express disappointed feeling of bad luck. Also it will be a good way to cheer a friend who spent a nasty day. I would rather strongly “disagree” to the people who tell their depressed friends something like this, “Come on, there’s no such thing likes the Murphy’s Law!” People quote this Murphy’s Law to not hurt their feeling and confidence, not to logically explain the situation. I disagree to the people who cannot take a joke as a joke.
However, if the Murphy’s law means a real natural “Law”, and some believe the law seriously, I cannot help to refute it. Myth of the Murphy’s law can be scientifically explained by human’s selective memory, not by the actual law. We memory only striking and influential happening. So after all, in daily life, unexpected bad lucks remain in our brain. Like a magic, when we try to look at the time, the watch always display the moment of 4:44 AM or PM. This can bring us an ominous, creepy feeling but we have to admit that we check our watch or smartphone every five minutes. Other timing than 4:44 will not recorded as a memory in our brain. Like this, in supermarket, we cannot remember the experience of standing at good payment check line.
I think many people do not take the Murphy’s law seriously. If so, this law should be one little example of the thousands of prevailing people’s superstition. There are much serious unscientific prejudices based on racism, regionalism, sexism and else.To be compared with these social bias, the superstition of Murphy’s law is just trifling. However, Murphy’s Law can bring pessimism, defeatism and even lethargy or depression to an individual. We should take this saying of Murphy as a joke, in a positive and hopeful manner.
Do you agree with Murphy’s Law? Do things tend to work out well or go wrong?
Describe a day when everything seemed to turn out badly for you (or someone you know, if you have never had a very bad day).
Academically I don’t agree with Murphy’s law because I know it’s very unscientific and even if some bad situations happen together, there is no connection between them. However sometimes I feel like that it looks there is a connection between them and Murphy’s law is working out. I don’t know the specific reasons for thinking that way ,but I’m sure it’s related to psychological reasons. For example, when I take a public transportation to commute, If i miss bus or subway to be on time because of few minutes, the feeling that I feel like to missing other transportations happen. And actually it often happens. Thus, It’s very amazing that I don’t understand the theory in my head but I believe it happens in my heart.
I believe Murphy’s law. There are some days that things tend to go wrong, or go well. Some people think that good or bad thing depends on what you think, and it happens randomly. That’s also reasonable, but most people might have an experience that things go worst back to back making them feel awful. Also, they know some rules to make things worse in particular situation. For example, I have some Murphy’s laws. First, while taking a test, if I change my first answer, I always get the wrong answer. I have experienced this a lot of time, but it is hard to overcome a temptation to change my first answer. Second, when I late for an appointment or school, I always miss my bus before my eyes. Third, the weather becomes clear when I have un unbrella, but it’s always raining when I don’t have it.
i do not belive Murphy’s law, i think there are many event happening in one’ s life. whatever is good or bad is part of chain of life. in my opinion. usually, people are tend to be stimulated a bad thing than “good’ thing. for example, supposing someone praise your face or your ability, ” oh you’re preety or handsome !” or ” you’re good at the work!” maybe you are pleased with that. but if another person metions the same thing badly. your mood can change akward about yourself. in my case. although one day is happy from morning to until the day ending just before. if someone or some event make my mind upset at the finish, i woud remember the day not happy. likewise,murphy’s law affects people’s phsychology more than sally’s law – the opposite meaning of murphy- word ‘murphy’s law’ itself is more well known and more used among peole than word ‘sally’s law’.if there is a day when something you worry happens evidently another day would be happening delighful thing repeatedly . it is ‘just’ event in life. i think we need to consider positive part more to live happier life and to love oneself. the piece of affirmative idea can change whole life happily.
It is a very interesting topic! But, I believe it comes from how we think when something bad happens in row and it is possible to describe it by the aid of scientific knowledge. For instance, whenever we drop bread and jam, a slice of bread falls jam-side down. Are we out of luck? When bread and jam is dropped, there are two situations. One is that a slice of bread falls jam-side down and the other is bread-side down. If possibility to happen is same, the chance equally is 50%. However, because we spread jam on one side of bread, the possibility is absolutely not same. According to an experiment of Robert Matthew, a information technology professor in University of Aston, he dropped bread and jam as many as 9821 times. As a result, a slice of bread fell jam-side down 6101 times. This result is related to gravity and weight of bread and jam. Everything around us is based on science.
I’m not that agree with Murphy’s law, I think everything has both sides, bad or good. There are many things nearly do not goes bad, for example, all the spices in the world were in the process of evolution, and evolution makes living things becoming more adaptable to environment, so in theories of evolution, every spices are going to a better way, rather than going worse. So I don’t agree with Murphy’s theory.