Bad example. How do you understand the saying “a bad example is contagious”?

/ / / How do you understand the saying “a bad example is contagious”?

It is difficult to find a person who has not heard the saying “a bad example is contagious.” However, not everyone interprets it correctly. How to understand this expression and in what cases is it appropriate?

People tend to follow the example of others, but they do not always imitate good habits and actions. Some people copy everything without thinking about how it looks from the outside, and, most importantly, what the consequences might be. It is said about imitation of unreasonable behavior that “a bad example is contagious.”

What is the reason for this phenomenon? I think that people who underestimate themselves are prone to stupid copying, believing that they will become better when they inherit a person who is ideal in their opinion. Some are sure that this is a way to establish themselves in the company and in society. For example, in every class there are leaders and those who try to be like them. The latter often copy their “cool” classmates.

The saying “a bad example is contagious” can be explained with the help of literature. For some reason I immediately remembered the epic novel War and Peace. From the first chapters we observe representatives of the upper classes of society. What is striking is that in the salons they speak French, fashion for everything French reigns. Why is this happening? Yes, because Russian is considered unfashionable and unworthy of secular circles. And there are people who are closer to their native things, but they are also influenced by fashion. And all because “a bad example is contagious.” The heroes don’t think about the fact that they look stupid or funny; the main thing for them is not to become a stranger in the company.” the highest of the world this."

What about the behavior and lifestyle of Helen and Anatoly Kuragin? After all, they are also explained not only by characteristics of character and upbringing, but also by the inheritance of others. Both Helen and Anatole were well aware of the intrigues that were swirling around. Observation of parents also played an important role. Young people imitate all this, knowing that this is the only way they can live carefree and luxurious.

Examples from the novel by L.N. Tolstoy is perfectly demonstrated by the embodiment of the phrase “a bad example is contagious” in reality. Many heroes “copy others”, losing their “I” behind it, looking ridiculous.

I would also like to turn to the satirical fairy tale by M. Saltykov-Shchedrin “ The Wise Minnow" Her main character The gudgeon watches its parents as they try to hide from danger. In addition, the father tells his son that this is the only way to live if you want to meet old age. And the young Peskar takes an example from his older relatives. He lives in a hole, practically never leaving it. In the eyes of the river inhabitants, the hero looks stupid. However, Peskar gets so used to such a life that he doesn’t even think about leaving it.

The image of a minnow is allegorical. He can also be perceived as a person who follows the example of others, without thinking about whether this will bring him happiness.

We can conclude that the phrase “a bad example is contagious” means an act, a habit, a character trait thoughtlessly copied from another.

Clifford Simak

Bad example

Tobias, staggering heavily, wandered down the street and thought about his difficult life.

He was penniless and the bartender, Joe, had thrown him out of the Jolly Gulch without giving him a chance to get his throat properly wet, and now he had nowhere to go but the empty, cold shack he called home if anything happened to him. , no one’s heart will even tremble. And all because, he thought, overcome with drunken self-pity, that he was a slacker and a bitter drunkard, it was simply amazing how the city tolerated him at all.

It was getting dark, but the street was still crowded, and Tobias noted to himself how diligently passers-by were looking at him.

“This is how it should be,” he told himself. “Let them turn away if it makes them feel better.”

Tobias was the disgrace of the city. A shameful stain on his reputation. The heavy cross of its inhabitants. Social evil. Tobias was a bad example. And there were no more people like him here, because in small towns there was always only one renegade - even two had nowhere to turn around.

Writing out monograms, Tobias trudged along the sidewalk in sad solitude. Suddenly he saw that Ilmer Clark, the city policeman, was standing ahead on the corner, doing absolutely nothing. Just looks in his direction. But Tobias did not suspect any trick in this. Ilmer is a nice guy. Ilmer understands what's what. Tobias paused, aimed at the corner where Ilmer was waiting for him, and swam in that direction without any significant deviations from the course.

Toub,” Ilmer told him, “should I give you a lift?”

Tobias straightened up with the pathetic dignity of a drunkard.

“No, my God,” he protested, a gentleman from head to toe. - It’s not for me to cause you so much trouble. Very grateful.

Ilmer smiled.

Okay, don't make a fuss. Are you sure you can get home on your own two feet?

“What are we talking about,” Tobias answered and ran on.

At first he was lucky. He walked safely for several blocks.

But at the corner of Third and Maple, trouble befell him. He stumbled and fell to his full length on the sidewalk under the very nose of Mrs. Frobisher, who was standing on the porch of her house, from where she could clearly see him plop down. He had no doubt that tomorrow she would not fail to describe this shameful spectacle to all members of the ladies' charitable society. And those, pursing their lips contemptuously, will quietly cackle among themselves, imagining themselves to be the holy of holies. After all, Mrs. Frobisher was a model of virtue for them. Her husband is a banker, and her son is the best player on the Millville football team, which expected to take first place in the championship organized by the Athletic Association. It is not surprising that this fact was perceived by everyone with a mixed sense of amazement and pride: many years had passed since the Millville football team last won the Association Cup.

Tobias rose to his feet, dusted himself off in a fussy, awkward manner, and drove to the corner of Third and Oak, where he sat down on the low stone wall of the Baptist Church. He knew that the pastor, leaving his office in the basement, would certainly see him. And this is very beneficial for the pastor. Maybe this picture will finally drive him crazy.

Tobias was worried that Lately the pastor treats him too complacently. Things are going too smoothly for the pastor now, and it seems that he is beginning to grow fat with self-satisfaction; his wife is the chairman of the local branch of the women's organization "Daughters of the American Revolution", and this long-legged daughter of his was found to have remarkable musical abilities.

Tobias was sitting patiently on the fence waiting for the pastor when he suddenly heard the shuffling of someone’s feet. It was already quite dark, and only when a passerby approached did he see that it was the school janitor Andy Donnovan.

Tobias mentally shamed himself. From such a characteristic shuffling he should have immediately guessed who was coming.

“Good evening, Andy,” he said. - What's new?

Andy stopped and looked at him point blank. He smoothed down his drooping mustache and spat on the sidewalk with such an air that, if an outside observer had been nearby, he would have regarded it as an expression of the deepest disgust.

"If you're waiting around for Mr. Halvorsen," Andy said, "you're wasting your time." He's not in town.

“I didn’t even know,” Tobias was embarrassed.

“You’ve played enough tricks today,” Andy said venomously. - Go home. Mrs. Frobisher stopped me here when I walked past their cottage just now. So, she thinks that we need to take you seriously.

Mrs. Frobisher is an old gossip, she would only want to pry into other people's affairs,” Tobias grumbled, having difficulty finding his footing.

“You can’t take that away from her,” Andy agreed. - But she is a decent woman.

He suddenly turned and walked away, and it seemed as if he was moving a little faster than usual.

Tobias, swaying, but seemingly somewhat more confident, hobbled in the same direction as Andy, tormented by doubts and a bitter sense of resentment.

Is it really fair that he had to be such a drunkard when something completely different could have turned out from him?

It is not for him to be the conscience of this town, Tobias thought. He deserves a better fate,” he convinced himself, hiccupping gloomily.

Houses became increasingly rare; the sidewalk ended, and Tobias, stumbling, dragged himself along the unpaved road to his shack, which was nestled on the very edge of the city.

It stood on a knoll above the swamp, near where Highway 49 crossed the road, and Tobias thought it was a blessing to live there. Often he sat in front of the house, watching the cars rush past.

But at that hour the road was deserted; the moon was rising over a distant grove, and its light gradually turned the rural landscape into a silver-black engraving.

He continued on his way, silently plunging his feet into the dust of the road, and sometimes he could hear the cry of an alarmed bird, and the air was filled with the smoke of burning autumn leaves.

What beauty it is here, Tobias thought, what beauty, but how lonely it is here. Well, so what the hell? He was always lonely.

From afar he heard the roar of a car rushing at high speed, and he silently spoke an unkind word about such desperate drivers.

The car approached the intersection, the brakes squealed shrilly, it turned sharply onto the road along which he was moving, and the headlights hit his eyes.

But at that same moment, a beam of light shot up, pierced the sky, drew an arc on it, and when the car skidded with a piercing creak of rubber rubbing against the asphalt, Tobias saw the dim glow of the rear lights.

Slowly, as if with an effort, the car fell on its side, capsizing into a roadside ditch.

Tobias suddenly realized that he was running, running headlong on instantly stronger legs.

There was a quiet splash of water, the car rested against the opposite wall of the ditch, and now lay motionless, only the wheels were still spinning.

Tobias jumped into the ditch and began to furiously pull the door handle with both hands. However, the door became stubborn: it moaned, creaked, but did not want to give in. He pulled as hard as he could and the door opened slightly, about an inch. And immediately he felt acrid smell burning insulation and realized that time was running out.

Helping him, someone pressed on the door from the inside, and Tobias slowly straightened up, still pulling the handle with all his might, and finally the door gave in with great reluctance.

Quiet, pitiful sobs were heard from the car, and the smell of burning insulation intensified, and Tobias noticed that flames were flickering under the hood.

Tobias dived inside the car, grabbed someone's hand, strained, and pulled him towards him. And he pulled the man out of the cabin.

“There she is,” the man said, gasping. - There’s still...

But Tobias, without listening to the end, was already rummaging around at random in the dark belly of the car, the smell of burning insulation was added to the billowing smoke, and under the hood a flame was spreading like a dazzling red spot.