“Better evil known than good unknown” is a saying that calls for caution, since states that it is not advisable to risk what you have or know for something that is supposedly better.
Changes always generate uncertainty because they entail risks: a decision that alters the course of things always brings misgivings and reluctance, as it could have negative consequences.
In this sense, it is a saying from which the idea of conformism is also inferred, of always resigning ourselves to what we already have or know, and of avoiding changes that always force us to travel through unknown territories.
According to this ruling, The new will not necessarily be better or more convenient than the previous and, therefore, it is not worth changing but rather adapting to what we already have and know.
As such, it is a phrase widely used to express reluctance in the face of change, especially when it generates doubts and concerns, because deep down we feel that we could be wrong. It is typical of those who do not want to leave their comfort zone and are afraid of change.
Quitting a job we hate for another one that could be better, selling our old car to buy a new one, moving to another area of the city, etc., are situations where this saying would be applicable.
A variant of this expression is “the bad that is known is better than the good that is not known.”
In English, the expression “better known than good to know” can be translated as “better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know”, which literally translates: ‘better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know’.
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