You have to wonder what the intent is of someone who tells you “expect the unexpected”. What, exactly, does that mean? I grew up a Cub Scout and in that reputable organization they had a similar saying of “Be Prepared”. Something that requires less brainpower to contemplate and which can be readily transferrable to rational, real-world actions. As in “be prepared for snow” or “be prepared for margaritas”, either call-to-action resulting in an increased supply of Morton’s.
“Be prepared” recurs as a positive message throughout most children’s programs and fables (Aesop’s are the only brand I’m familiar with). One story goes about the encounter of an ant and a grasshopper in advance of winter. The ant is busy collecting and saving food for the winter ahead while the grasshopper is not, despite the ant’s advising. Come winter, the ant is well-prepared for the frozen season while the grasshopper is not, therefore he suffers. The grasshopper eventually realizes his mistake, and his lesson in preparedness quickly becomes ours to share, minus the consequences.
But what lesson can be taught of “expect the unexpected”? If this was applied to the ant and grasshopper fable, what non sequitur turn of events would take shape? Would a second ant appear and start collecting a tax on all savings? Would the grasshopper start bullying the ant for food? Or would a giant human walking by accidentally crush them both and end them mid-story? Either way, once applied, the event is thereby “expected” and a new lesson interpreted. And, in these examples perhaps, the lesson being “that the only certainties in life are death and taxes”. With the consequential revision to the proverb now “expect a tax-free afterlife”.
No, it seems that there is no appropriate context for the message to be delivered or any logical interpretation to be gained therefrom. It ultimately boils down to a philosophical mind trap where you can continually try to think of what might happen, then immediately cross it off the list because you thought of it. Or a way to beat yourself up after something unexpected happened because you couldn’t have possibly predicted it would happen, and even if you did there wasn’t much you could do about it. You are, as it is stated, only supposed to tailor your expectations accordingly, not actually do anything about them.
Nah, I will just stick with the mantra that was programmed well into my developmental bear brain. The one that makes sense, short on negatives, and is fable-ready. Would you expect anything else?