That's Not My Monkey (Usborne Touchy-Feely Books)

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Who digs holes underneath someone else, will fall into them himself’’. Now this is a sorry translation but it means to refrain from wishing anyone else wrong. When it comes to the saying “not my circus, not my monkeys,” there are pros and cons to consider. On the one hand, this approach is seen as avoiding involvement in things that are not your own and that you cannot control. But on the other hand, this avoidance can be helpful in terms of maintaining peace of mind and avoiding stress. He adds that it’s your responsibility, as an employer, to let your employees know that they should do what you hired them to do, even without seeking advice from their superiors, unless they feel completely cornered by the situation. Gibbs argues that this freedom creates an honest support structure in an organization and empowers employees to become more productive in their roles. You can also use this phrase to avoid involving yourself in a situation. For example, suppose you see two people fighting on the street. In that case, you might say, “not my circus, not my monkeys,” to avoid involving yourself in their altercation. Person A: “Did you hear about the news, and how schools are demanding to keep their sports programs, even though students could catch the Coronavirus?”

Celene is worried that her partner's attitude at work is too flip and he will miss out on a promotion. She tries to make him dress and act more "like a contender" on the job. The more she makes suggestions, the more he finds her condescending and resists the suggestions. In short, it could be translated as having the same meaning of “I mind my own business” or ‘’it’s none of my business’’, but in a broader sense, it’s usually used to enhance the fact that you are not the one to judge someone else’s actions, even when you don’t necessarily agree with them. As if the mess someone else has found himself in, is not your mess to worry about, and the people taking part in that mess are not the ones you can control. Not My Circus Not My Monkeys Origin This is so like the frustration of depressed people who devote their energy to thinking and talking over problems over which they have no control. They are trying to be the ringmaster in someone else's circus. For example:Goods that by reason of their nature, cannot be returned - (Items such as underwear, where the 'hygiene patch' has been removed, or cosmetics where the seal has been broken). As a sales coach, I spend time with quite a few people who have big monkey collections. They have accepted that their prospects and clients’ problems are actually theirs. Unfortunately, these monkey collections have some predictable consequences.

I feel that this book, while demonstrably for babies, is really a moral tale for our time. It charts the universal journey in search of that which is real, and encourages its young readers to actively distinguish tangible differences between that which is offered and that which is really desired or needed. It is teaches the virtues of loyalty and perseverance, as you do not just give up and settle for the third or fourth not-my-monkey that comes along. Imagine you are having dinner with your close, Polish friend. He goes on and on how his brother’s family is behaving not up to his standards, how his niece has decided to quit school and maybe how his nephew is not earning enough money and how all that doesn’t seem to worry his brother at all. He could conclude this talk with a ‘’Oh well, but it’s not my circus and not my monkeys’’ proverb. Or imagine that you were gossiping about a colleague at work, how she is leading her team wrongly. This too could be concluded with ‘’Oh well, it’s not my circus.’’ - as you can cut the proverb short and still it would be recognized among the Polish speakers. You could also stop the gossiping that someone else has started by saying: ‘’Oh, not my circus, I don’t want to know about it.’’

OUR HABITAT

I was a server for a few years, and one of my favorite sayings was, “Not my circus, not my monkeys.” It’s a great way to detach yourself from the drama that goes with restaurant life. I’ve used it to describe everything from customers angry about their food to co-workers gossiping about each other. From the above examples, it’s clear that this saying can be used to express various attitudes. For instance, you can use it to express your uncaring attitude by showing someone that you’re not concerned about a situation. Also, you can use it to show your defiance in a fancy way. Overall, the phrase “not my circus, not my monkeys” is useful when expressing that someone does not want to be responsible for something or wants no involvement in a situation. What Is a Useful Way To Illustrate the Phrase –‘Not My Circus?’

A famous idiom that originated in Japan and became popular during the 17th century in a Shinto pictorial format also involved monkeys. Rather than referencing them directly, three monkeys were depicted in various forms of art, with one covering his eyes, one his ears, and one his mouth. The age-old adage that accompanied it was “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.” However, there are conflicting reports about the actual origin of this saying. Some people claim that this saying is a direct translation of another Polish proverb that goes, “Nie mój cyrk, nie moje małpy.” The direct English translation of this proverb goes, “It’s not my circus, it’s not my monkeys.” Usage It is also laudable for its gender neutral appeal. Monkeys are presented as being equally accessible for all babies, whether boys or girls, so there is no fear of accidentally pushing the standards of the heteropatriarchy on the just recently born. Hector is worried that his boss's mismanagement is wasting money. His depression deepens as he anticipates only negative outcomes—the store is going to close, he won't get a raise—his constant bad mood affects his colleagues who are now irritated by him and not by the boss.

Toys

When asked whether she would involve the state’s law enforcement agents in the operation, the governor replied, “Not my circus, not my monkeys.” One situation that I remember is when I worked at a busy Italian restaurant. One of the cooks got into an argument with the dishwasher, which turned into a full-blown shouting match. It was honestly entertaining to watch, but I had to keep my head down and focus on my work. I didn’t want the aftereffects of involving myself in their drama at the time.