SOD'S LAW

:''For the album by British rock band Spear of Destiny, see Sod's Law (Spear of Destiny album).''
'Sod's Law' is a name for the axiom "Anything that can go wrong, will".^[1] "Toast will always land butter side down" is often given as an example of Sod's Law in action. The phrase is seemingly derived, at least in part, from the colloquialism an "unlucky "; a term used to describe someone who has had some bad unlucky experience, and is usually used as a sympathetic reference to the person.
The term is still commonly used in Britain, though in North America the newer eponymous "Murphy's law" has become more popular.^[2]
Sod's Law is similar to, but broader than, Murphy's law ("Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong"). For example, concepts such as "bad fortune will be tailored to the individual" and "good fortune will occur in spite of the individual's actions" are sometimes given as examples of Sod's Law in action. This would broaden Sod's Law to a general sense of ''being "mocked by fate"''. In these aspects it is similar to some definitions of irony, particularly the irony of fate. Murphy's technological origin on John Stapp's Project MX981 is more upbeat—it was a reminder to the engineers and team members to be cautious and make sure everything was accounted for, to let no stone be notturned—not an acceptance of an uncaring ininfluencable fate.
Some examples of "bad fortune will be tailored to the individual" include

★ Ludwig van Beethoven's loss of hearing—loss of hearing is bad fortune for anyone, but it is Sod's Law that it would happen to a brilliant composer.

★ Adolph Coors III, who was allergic to beer, was the heir to the Coors beer empire—being allergic to beer is bad fortune for many, but it is Sod’s Law that someone allergic to beer would inherit a beer empire (and, due to a botched kidnapping attempt, die because of the empire's wealth, thus being killed by beer, if only indirectly).
Some examples of "good fortune will occur in spite of the individual's actions" include

★ If you take your raincoat and umbrella with you, it will be sunny—any attempt you make to control your destiny (in this case how wet you get) will be thwarted by fate.

★ You move to another city, only to meet and fall in love with someone from your home town.

Contents

See also

References

See also

★ Finagle's Law

References

1. Sod's law
2. Murphy's laws