to think that 'no smoke without fire' is a ridiculous saying and rarely holds true in reality?

[TheArmadillo]

And often is the reason people's lives can be destroyed as the result of nothing but rumours.

Can't exonerate yourself cos whatever happens it's 'well there's no smoke without fire'?

(nothing happened to me btw, just saw it somewhere and remembered how much I hated it).

I was trying to think of a situation where there would literally be smoke without fire (soft rock concert?)

But yes, you're right - it's just a way of making people feel better about being suspicious and nasty.

yes.

and dry ice.

I think most supposed platitudes/ sayings do in fact hold true a lot of the time

A fire that smokes a bit because it's been lit with green wood, but doesn't "take" and then goes out?

Happens all the time.

Or a bit of bread caught in a toaster.