Editing Blog/2025-10-24/Bad Apples

[[File:A bad apple in a Costco bag of Envy Apples.webp|thumb]]
There's a common adage about [[wikipedia:Bad apples|bad apples]] that goes like:

{{Quote
|text=One bad apple spoils the barrel
}}

The theory is, of course, that a rotting apple release ethylene gas<ref name=ethylene/>, they get infested with bacteria and fungi that spread, and they just slime the rest of the apples which then proceed through the same stages. And the expression is used to illustrate how the presence of one bad actor on your team can cause the rest of you to become as rotten. Curiously, as the Wikipedia article notes, it is often used in the opposite notion today. Groups of people can generally be considered good save for "a few bad apples". Well, it seems that the latter notion has more reason to be the expression.

Recently, due to the fact that we have a child and I'm doing a weight loss thing, we've been going to Costco less often and getting larger bags of supplies. Consequently, prior to every trip we lose one apple<ref name=one-bad/> or so in our Envy Apple bags to the rot. The most recent one leaked its rot juice all over the bag and other apples were covered in it.

I have a habit of biting into apples to find their sickness status so long as they don't look visibly ill, and I am pleased to say that (after washing) each of the neighbouring apples to this apple were not actually rotten. This has happened on three occasions, which is sufficient evidence for me to call it.

It is, in fact, false that one bad apple spoils the bunch. In truth, having a bad apple is fine. The rest go through unscathed.

== Notes ==

<references>
<ref name=ethylene>
Which is what everyone counts on to ripen their fruit. In fact, when we get our mangoes here in the US in mango season, they don't ripen on the tree because they are shipped and they wouldn't last if that were to be done. So you add a couple of ripe bananas and the whole thing happens faster. 
</ref>
<ref name=one-bad>
In some sense, this is ideal. If you had many go rotten, you're wasting capacity. If you have none go rotten, you could have gotten more. But exactly one rotten means you have done perfectly.
</ref>
</references>




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[[Category:Facts]]