We need George Carlin in these troubled times. However, seeing that my favourite funny man, who loved to play with words, has gone missing, I will have to take on this curious expression for him:
Knock Yourself Out
Who was the first person who, wanting to show someone just how little he or she cared for the outcome of what that person was about to do, said, “Ya, go ahead. Knock yourself out!”
I cannot wrap my head around this. Why would a person want to knock himself out, if it is even possible to do that, on purpose? So, there is one piece of cherry pie on the plate and you ask permission to eat it. Someone steps up, speaks for everyone in the room, and says, “It’s all yours. Knock yourself out.”
(You know, for a really good piece of cherry pie, I might actually be willing to knock myself out.)
I just can’t figure out how advising someone to violently assault himself to the point of losing consciousness can be considered anything but a hostile commentary on a situation.
Wouldn’t it be better for someone to say, “Yes, Jim, those last four pieces of cherry pie are all yours. I sure hope you enjoy them as much as you did the first two.”
If we could learn to adopt more pleasant expressions such as that one, that would really knock me out.
©2014 Jim Hagarty
