"try" is an active support extension on "nil", so if you're using rails (or active support), then you already have this functionality. The point being made here

"try" is an active support extension on "nil", so if you're using rails (or active support), then you already have this functionality. The point being made here is that patterns developed outside the core Ruby development process are getting adopted upstream by the language for all Ruby applications to benefit from. Also, there your example or using try falls short if the methods require additional arguments to be passed in. "try" already handles this by requiring you to "try" each method. Of cause there is a very good argument to be had that this pattern also breaks the law of demeter by allowing you to call methods on objects that you don't own a stake in.