Little Happier: When One Proverb Sparks Dozens: the Inspiration of “No Receiver, No Thief”

Little Happier: When One Proverb Sparks Dozens: the Inspiration of “No Receiver, No Thief”

Released Monday, 14th April 2025
Good episode? Give it some love!
Little Happier: When One Proverb Sparks Dozens: the Inspiration of “No Receiver, No Thief”

Little Happier: When One Proverb Sparks Dozens: the Inspiration of “No Receiver, No Thief”

Little Happier: When One Proverb Sparks Dozens: the Inspiration of “No Receiver, No Thief”

Little Happier: When One Proverb Sparks Dozens: the Inspiration of “No Receiver, No Thief”

Monday, 14th April 2025
Good episode? Give it some love!
Rate Episode

While writing my book "Secrets of Adulthood," I discovered how the structure of a single traditional proverb could spark dozens of new insights. The elegant formula "No X, no Y" began with the traditional wisdom "No receiver, no thief," but soon expanded into observations ranging from the paradoxical ("No expectations, no disappointment") to the historical ("No Plato, No Socrates ") to the practical ("More highways, more traffic"). 

Resources & links related to this episode:

Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com

Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier app.

Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Show More

Unlock more with Podchaser Pro

  • Audience Insights
  • Contact Information
  • Demographics
  • Charts
  • Sponsor History
  • and More!
Pro Features