Never assume

Assumptions are a lazy way of thinking. Instead of using one's brain to figure out the answer to a difficult question, an assumption is used to as a 'get out of jail free' card on a synaptic function.

But, there are a series of assumptions that I've seen that are (quite often) wrong:

Never assume the small guy can't beat the crap out of you.
Never assume the hard shell doesn't contain a soft filling.
Never assume the polite in public are pigs in private.
Never assume being shy and silent is the same as being a snob.
Never assume having a sense of self is arrogant, but confident.
Never assume your friends will always be there.
Never assume you won't be stabbed in the back by a friend.
Never assume someone likes you when you like them.
Never assume someone doesn't like you when you don't like them.
Never assume innocence is a prerequisite for stupidity.

Never assume, period.