None. Quotes

Context

This is a misquote from Edward Murphy.

This quote, which is sometimes just called Murphy's law, was allegedly uttered by Edward Murphy, an aerospace engineer who was working on an experiment that wasn't going quite as planned when he let out this little pearl of wisdom in frustration. Hey, we've all been there.

Trouble is, it's unclear who actually said this or what was actually said. Some of Murphy's colleagues remember him insulting his assistant for problems during the test by saying, "If that guy has any way of making a mistake, he will." Later, Colonel John Stapp would declare that the team had worked successfully by using Murphy's law—"anything that can go wrong, will go wrong."

In any case, this saying just refers to all the crazy ways things can get messed up. It's best to live by both Murphy's law and the Boy Scout's motto—"Be prepared!"

Where you've heard it

This saying is a pessimist's dream, and you'll usually hear it after things have gone wrong. So very, very wrong.

Additional Notable References: 

• The web-comic "Murphy's Law" is about a cartoon character with really bad luck.
• Murphy's Law is also the name of a British crime drama about the adventures of maverick cop, Tommy Murphy.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

Pointing out the absurdities of the universe isn't pretentious! Let off this little gem and you'll have everyone nodding their heads in agreement.