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Reader question: Please explain this sentence, with “it’s all well to say” in particular: “It’s all well to say that SOMEBODY should do this, but when will we, as individuals, stand up and make ourselves that somebody?” My comments: When we say it is all well, we mean obviously that all is well. However, when you see “all well” followed by the word “but”, it means that the opposite is true. In the above example, it means that talking about something is good, but not good enough. It’s good in that at least people are talking about it, which is better than the alternative, making an issue out of what otherwise would be called a non-event. By talking about sorting out one’s kitchen garbage in the media, for example, more people will become aware of the importance of better garbage treatment. However, it’s not enough just talking about it. Garbage treatment actually involves one putting plastics and other recyclable stuffs into the rubbish bin with the word “Recycle” marked on it. It sounds simple, right? And it’s not much work either but work it still is. To get it done, you and I need actually doing it, every day. And that is something difficult for people, the consistency to do something at a regular basis. Other larger, loftier issues, likewise. It’s all very well, for example, for all of us to go on about improving human rights, democracy and the rule of law, but we can talk all day till we’re red in the face and sick in the stomach without any of those things improving at all. Talking about something is something, actually doing something is something else entirely. | 
