Originally Posted by Brody's Mum
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 sod"; a term used to describe someone who has had some bad unlucky experience, and is usually used as a sympathetic reference to the person.
nb Sod's Law is proved by attempting to demonstrate Sod's Law - the toast will always land butter side up.
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 unturned — not an acceptance of an uncaring uninfluencable fate.
