Never Assume!

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How do you that? How does anyone truthfully never assume? Everyone has assumptions they work under. How is anyone supposed to follow this advice and never assume b/c it makes an ass out of you and me. Don't it contradict itself as well. By telling us to never assume aren't we assuming to never assume?

Who came up with this? It's like it was never thought through at all.

Never ASSume.......that people never assume

Many times I have to make assumptions and I state that I am doing so … verbally and in writing. It amuses me when I make an assumption and didn't have it in my awareness (usually brought to my attention when it's wrong). I try to allow that assumptions facilitate life, but they are really annoying. I was in a group setting a decade ago and one of the top characteristics I was given was "unassuming".

sometimes assumptions are necessary, subconscious, natural.

sometimes wrong assumptions are not such a bad thing.

if you don't assume anything, you don't get anything done.

you shouldn't assume too many things though.

I just think the advice does not work at all. Am I misunderstanding it? If it really is about choosing one's assumptions wisely as Jimmy stated then I have to ask how does one really do that exactly?

It just seems like it's advice thrown out there without much thought at all. I wish that my younger self would've known to ask further questions of those who gave me this advice like "how do I not assume exactly?"

It depends on the context when this is being said. I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Let's say you see someone's boyfriend hugging another young lady. When people say "never assume" they are saying don't jump to any bad assumptions about what you just saw there. That girl could be his old school mate or his cousin or sister and they could be doing a friendly hug when they greet. Maybe she could be someone he knows and she had just lost her brother and he is hugging her for comfort. If this was your boyfriend, don't jump to any bad assumptions and ask him about it first like "Hey, I went to Wal Mart and I accidentally saw you there and you were hugging a woman, who was she?" and he could tell you "Oh that was someone I knew in high school and we dated for a week and I saw her there when I stopped there to get something and she is married and has kids now." If you trust him, you will believe him.


Unfortunately people assuming has ruined relationships friendships, got people thrown under the bus because of someone assuming the worst. Get all the facts and information first before you jump to any conclusions.

It is impossible to really never assume but it is possible to realize your assumptions may be wrong and to retreat from them if necessary.