"Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?" What does this aphorism mean?
1 Answer
It's commentary on how we judge people.
Explanation:
Ah yes... I remember George Carlin and his routine...
Ok - an aphorism is a witty saying that tries to express a deeper truth. Let's look at this one.
Anyone driving slower than you is an idiot
Anyone driving faster than you is a maniac
So who is it that drives exactly as fast as you? As far as anyone in the car can tell - no one! - because you only see the people you are passing (idiots) and people passing you (maniacs).
This saying shows up the self-centredness of people - in this case making judgements about people solely on how fast they are driving. It also shows that the person driving judges people through a very narrow lens - his/her experience. A person driving fast could be rushing to the hospital. A person driving slower could be out for a leisurely drive and not trying to get anywhere.
Here's that little bit of his routine:
