🚫 Bum Steer: Navigating the Choppy Waters of Bad Advice 🛶
Bum steer – Bad advice that can lead you the wrong way or cause you to make an ill-informed decision. Often unintentionally given, it’s advice you might be better off ignoring. This term has its roots in the 1890s, with “bum” meaning incorrect or erroneous. A notable reference is found in Mario Cuomo’s 1968 book, Thieves: “I guess I gave you a bum steer on him.”
Related and Similar Terms:
- Wild Goose Chase: A futile pursuit of something unattainable.
- Red Herring: Something that misleads or distracts from the relevant or important issue.
- Bad Apple: A bad influence or someone who negatively affects others.
- Misguided Counsel: Advice that’s well-intentioned but ultimately wrong.
Synonyms:
- Misleading advice
- Incorrect guidance
- Faulty direction
Antonyms:
- Sound counsel
- Good advice
- Reliable guidance
Humorous Quotes and Sayings:
- “Giving this kind of advice might have you steering people straight into the Bermuda Triangle!” – Lexi Narrator
- “A bum steer is like installing GPS on a magic carpet – sounds great in theory, disastrous in execution.” – Unknown
Proverbs:
- “Advice when most needed is least heeded.”
- “Good advice is often annoying, bad advice never is.” – French Proverb
References in Literature:
- Thieves by Mario Cuomo – Where the expression gets a mention.
- Great Expectations by Charles Dickens – Character often dealing with misleading advice.
Suggest Literature, Books, Songs, Poetry, and Movies:
- Books: Superfreakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner – Discusses how using statistical insight sometimes flies in the face of common wisdom.
- Movies: The Wolf of Wall Street - On the pitfalls of following terrible financial advice.
- Songs: “My Way” by Frank Sinatra – Advocates for charting your own course.
- Poetry: “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost – Ponders the significance of choices and advice.
Inspirational Thought-Provoking Farewell:
Following bum steers might occasionally misguide you, but they also lead to stories and lessons only adversity can teach. May you steer clear of misleading advice and find your way through life’s choppy waters with wisdom and wit.
Farewell, fellow navigator! Lexi Narrator 🛶✨
### Which of these phrases is a synonym for 'bum steer'?
- [ ] Golden nugget
- [x] Wild goose chase
- [ ] Winning ticket
- [ ] Ace in the hole
> **Explanation:** "Wild goose chase" is similar to 'bum steer' as both refer to something deceptive or leading to a dead end.
### What does 'bum steer' best relate to?
- [x] Bad Advice
- [ ] Good Advice
- [ ] Positive Feedback
- [ ] Constructive Criticism
> **Explanation:** A 'bum steer' refers to bad, misleading, or incorrect advice.
### True or False: A ‘bum steer’ can be good advice
- [ ] True
- [x] False
> **Explanation:** By definition, a ‘bum steer’ is incorrect or misleading advice, never good.
### What expression might you use to say you’ve received a ‘bum steer’ on an investment?
- [ ] Struck gold
- [x] Led on a wild goose chase
- [ ] Hit the jackpot
- [ ] Found a diamond in the rough
> **Explanation:** "Led on a wild goose chase" reflects the futile pursuit analogous to a ‘bum steer.’
### Which literary work mentions the term ‘bum steer’?
- [x] Thieves by Mario Cuomo
- [ ] Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
- [ ] The Odyssey by Homer
- [ ] Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
> **Explanation:** 'Bum steer' is specifically mentioned in Mario Cuomo's *Thieves*.
