Some expressions and cliches rankle me immediately. One of these is the expression that
declares that some tough, usually powerful, old guy, "doesn't suffer fools gladly." This is
supposed to be a badge of respect, if not downright admiration. That is the way it is almost
always meant. The subtext I tend to suspect is that this person (nearly always male) is a rather
nasty, controlling individual hiding some considerable weaknesses of his own. First, no one
suffers anything gladly. If they "suffer gladly," they're a masochist and the "suffering" is a
pleasure. So the statement is immediately suspect. Second, everyone is foolish at least several
times a day -- rage at inanimate objects, pomposity, perfectionism, ill temper, and on and on.
We're human. So on the face of it, this august old coot doesn't suffer himself, in his foolish
moments, gladly either. And we assume he'd know foolishness from an astute wit, his own
failure of perception or understanding, etc. No one suffers fools gladly, so there is no particular
pride or dignity in the trait. It's everyone. Edit that expression and move on to some actual
content.
declares that some tough, usually powerful, old guy, "doesn't suffer fools gladly." This is
supposed to be a badge of respect, if not downright admiration. That is the way it is almost
always meant. The subtext I tend to suspect is that this person (nearly always male) is a rather
nasty, controlling individual hiding some considerable weaknesses of his own. First, no one
suffers anything gladly. If they "suffer gladly," they're a masochist and the "suffering" is a
pleasure. So the statement is immediately suspect. Second, everyone is foolish at least several
times a day -- rage at inanimate objects, pomposity, perfectionism, ill temper, and on and on.
We're human. So on the face of it, this august old coot doesn't suffer himself, in his foolish
moments, gladly either. And we assume he'd know foolishness from an astute wit, his own
failure of perception or understanding, etc. No one suffers fools gladly, so there is no particular
pride or dignity in the trait. It's everyone. Edit that expression and move on to some actual
content.