An aphorism is a terse saying embodying a general truth, or astute observation. (dictionary.com.)

American icon, Mae West (1893—1980) was an actress, comedian and sex symbol whose career spanned seven decades. She became famous for her bawdy, double entendres, producing a prodigious output of aphorisms to the delightful thrills of her audiences and to the fierce opposition of her censors. She voiced many aphorisms on timely subjects, like: history, fashion, love, choice, and even temptation. A sampling:

— “Men like women with a past, because they hope history will repeat itself.”

— “It is better to be looked over than to be overlooked.”

— “Love is what you make it, and who you make it with.”

— “When choosing between two evils, I always like to take the one I haven’t tried before.”

— “When I’m good, I’m very good; but when I’m bad, I’m better.”

— “When women go wrong, men go right after them.”

— “Lead me not into temptation, I can find the way myself.”

— “I generally resist temptation, unless I can’t resist it.”

Mae West encountered much opposition, particularly censorship, due to her seductive, suggestive comments, and even did some jail time for expressing her First Amendment right. True to character, she made light of her opposition: ”I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it.”

In the end, she amassed a large following, and became the largest box office attraction during the Depression. During Word War II, US servicemen added to her considerable fame by dubbing their yellow, inflatable life vests as “Mae West’s.” Suitably, I end this post with her epitaph:  “Come up and see me some time.”