A man in a restaurant has announced his intention to share an opinion that is sure to be appalling, by using the phrase “Don’t get me wrong”. His fellow diners had just begun a discussion regarding the suffering of certain groups of people who happen to not be present at the table. Given how he’s started, it is safe to assume that his views will be off-putting at best.
Of course, this is far from an uncommon occurrence. This one sentence acts as something akin to a ‘beware of falling rocks’ sign on a steep hilly road, warning passengers to be ready for the debris of horrific nonsense on its way.
Though the phrase is almost universally met with groans, there are some who have begun to appreciate it.
“I think it’s fantastic,” said one patron. “When he says, ‘don’t get me wrong’; first of all, no one was ever going to misunderstand him. It’s very simple what he’s saying, always is. But at least now, when he says that line, we can all take a swig and tune him out before he starts his rant.”
The Ipe Collection 