Hi, everyone: What does "go along to get along" mean? Is it bad or good for someone to go along to get along? In other words, is this phrase used to show approval or disapproval ? Best wishes.
It means to agree with others or do what they want in order to preserve harmony. I suppose it could be a good thing or a bad thing, but to me, it has the connotation of not standing up for one's principles just to avoid confrontation.
Hi hly, To expand a little on jinti's reply: "Go along with" is an idiom that means acquiesce. It does not necessarily imply agreement, just no active disagreement. "Get along" is another idiom. In the sentence "Sue gets along with everyone" it means that Sue does not have quarrels or differences of opinion with anyone; she has a pleasant relationship with everyone.
Although our culture promotes individuality there are situations in which it is essential to behave according to specific rules. My father, who served as a medic in WW II, told us that the phrase "go along to get along" was often repeated in training to ensure harmony among men from such varied backgrounds.
