I remember learning about the concept you’re referring to – as observed in Japanese monkeys learning to wash their food… i.e. When the monkeys suddenly started washing, the monkeys finally stepped out of the water and landed at the swab. The monkeys were in total denial. I have heard this phrase attributed to the

half monkey syndrome.

1a. To determine any specific question or controversy about particular items referred to here. Never heard “belatedly”

b. Is there a common expression in America: Wishing you a belated “Happy birthday” 2a?

& b. & c. Is free speech considered the next best thing? Within a week before the event is reasonable. What do you think of Turkey’s Happy Birthday: ” Happy Birthday Turkey! “It

really matters isn’t it just me and the others. “

In informal, spoken AmE, the most common equivalent of “on the contrary” is the word, bullshit :

The salesman assured me that the suit was black; bullshit, it was navy blue.

That would be useful, in your construction: The casual

encounters didn’t work for me, though. It was bullshit – (Yes, the singular “IT”) each of them left me emptier than before, made me feel guiltier than before.

It’s crude but widely used and accepted. (US)

(People) (English) (Britain) (English) (US)

In informal, spoken AmE, the most common equivalent of “on the contrary” is the word, bullshit :

The salesman assured me that the suit was black; bullshit, it was navy blue.

That would be useful, in your construction: The casual

encounters didn’t work for me, though. It was bullshit – (Yes, the singular “IT”) each of them left me emptier than before, made me feel guiltier than before.

It’s crude but widely used and accepted. (US)

(People) (English) (Britain) (English) (US)

In informal, spoken AmE, the most common equivalent of “on the contrary” is the word, bullshit :

The salesman assured me that the suit was black; bullshit, it was navy blue.

That would be useful, in your construction: The casual

encounters didn’t work for me, though. It was bullshit – (Yes, the singular “IT”) each of them left me emptier than before, made me feel guiltier than before.

It’s crude but widely used and accepted. (US)

(People) (English) (Britain) (English) (US)

In informal, spoken AmE, the most common equivalent of “on the contrary” is the word, bullshit :

The salesman assured me that the suit was black; bullshit, it was navy blue.

That would be useful, in your construction: The casual

encounters didn’t work for me, though. It was bullshit – (Yes, the singular “IT”) each of them left me emptier than before, made me feel guiltier than before.

It’s crude but widely used and accepted. (US)

(People) (English) (Britain) (English) (US)

In informal, spoken AmE, the most common equivalent of “on the contrary” is the word, bullshit :

The salesman assured me that the suit was black; bullshit, it was navy blue.

That would be useful, in your construction: The casual

encounters didn’t work for me, though. It was bullshit – (Yes, the singular “IT”) each of them left me emptier than before, made me feel guiltier than before.

It’s crude but widely used and accepted. (US)

(People) (English) (Britain) (English) (US)

In informal, spoken AmE, the most common equivalent of “on the contrary” is the word, bullshit :

The salesman assured me that the suit was black; bullshit, it was navy blue.

That would be useful, in your construction: The casual

encounters didn’t work for me, though. It was bullshit – (Yes, the singular “IT”) each of them left me emptier than before, made me feel guiltier than before.

It’s crude but widely used and accepted. (US)

(People) (English) (Britain) (English) (US)

In informal, spoken AmE, the most common equivalent of “on the contrary” is the word, bullshit :

The salesman assured me that the suit was black; bullshit, it was navy blue.

That would be useful, in your construction: The casual

encounters didn’t work for me, though. It was bullshit – (Yes, the singular “IT”) each of them left me emptier than before, made me feel guiltier than before.

It’s crude but widely used and accepted. (US)

(People) (English) (Britain) (English) (US)

In informal, spoken AmE, the most common equivalent of “on the contrary” is the word, bullshit :

The salesman assured me that the suit was black; bullshit, it was navy blue.

That would be useful, in your construction: The casual

encounters didn’t work for me, though. It was bullshit – (Yes, the singular “IT”) each of them left me emptier than before, made me feel guiltier than before.

It’s crude but widely used and accepted. (US)

(People) (English) (Britain) (English) (US)