Irritating metaphors
May 28, 2022 8:47 AM Subscribe
Looking for examples where an irritant is turned into a good thing
E.g a grain of sand into a pearl
(Yes I am aware that more often than not, a pearl did not start with a grain of sand)
E.g a grain of sand into a pearl
(Yes I am aware that more often than not, a pearl did not start with a grain of sand)
April showers bring May flowers.
posted by Redstart at 8:59 AM on May 28, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by Redstart at 8:59 AM on May 28, 2022 [4 favorites]
Lemons into lemonade is the classic.
posted by bleep at 9:00 AM on May 28, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by bleep at 9:00 AM on May 28, 2022 [4 favorites]
It's pretty weird, but the response of radio producer Joe Frank to the above is, "when life gives you lemons, make an enema out of them," or something very similar.
"The wound is the place where the light enters you," is a Rumi quote that seems legit, or at least it appears in many books.
posted by eotvos at 9:36 AM on May 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
"The wound is the place where the light enters you," is a Rumi quote that seems legit, or at least it appears in many books.
posted by eotvos at 9:36 AM on May 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
It’s darkest before dawn?
posted by synecdoche at 9:39 AM on May 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by synecdoche at 9:39 AM on May 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
posted by jeszac at 9:42 AM on May 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by jeszac at 9:42 AM on May 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
My FiL has a gnomic take on that, jeszac: What kills not, fattens. Also
The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner. Mark 12:10 and elsewhere in the bible.
posted by BobTheScientist at 9:47 AM on May 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner. Mark 12:10 and elsewhere in the bible.
posted by BobTheScientist at 9:47 AM on May 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
From "Anthem" by Leonard Cohen:
Ring all the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in
posted by Daily Alice at 10:22 AM on May 28, 2022 [4 favorites]
Ring all the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in
posted by Daily Alice at 10:22 AM on May 28, 2022 [4 favorites]
There’s some programmer psychology that fits this; folktales about someone learning coding specifically to get hired at a company and climb the ranks until they have the ability to fix that one bug that’s been annoying them forever. The day after it’s fixed they quit.
More practically, and a definite true thing, using your own software as much as possible so you’re inspired to make it good. I’m afraid this is often called "eating your own dog food".
posted by clew at 10:44 AM on May 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
More practically, and a definite true thing, using your own software as much as possible so you’re inspired to make it good. I’m afraid this is often called "eating your own dog food".
posted by clew at 10:44 AM on May 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
A little water every day wears the hardest rock away.
(This was in some children's book I read decades ago. The irritation isn't good for the rock, obviously, but the point is that it does something good, so maybe it fits with your Ask?)
posted by FencingGal at 11:18 AM on May 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
(This was in some children's book I read decades ago. The irritation isn't good for the rock, obviously, but the point is that it does something good, so maybe it fits with your Ask?)
posted by FencingGal at 11:18 AM on May 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Callouses. Fingertips for guitarists, feet for walking barefoot, hands for manual labor.
Small tears in muscle fiber grow stronger muscles.
Pruning plants cause then to grow fuller and more vigorously.
Acupuncture.
posted by BoscosMom at 12:08 PM on May 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
Small tears in muscle fiber grow stronger muscles.
Pruning plants cause then to grow fuller and more vigorously.
Acupuncture.
posted by BoscosMom at 12:08 PM on May 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: hitting a "wrong" note as the basis of a new riff or melody
posted by a humble nudibranch at 1:35 PM on May 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by a humble nudibranch at 1:35 PM on May 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
In juggling, there's the notion that a dropped ball is a sign of progress.
[The only way to avoid dropping a ball now and then is to avoid practicing.]
posted by kimota at 2:03 PM on May 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
[The only way to avoid dropping a ball now and then is to avoid practicing.]
posted by kimota at 2:03 PM on May 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek” — Joseph Campbell
Any example of discomfort => growth, pain =>, ugliness => beauty. Awkward => super strength. So, lotus flowers from swamps, ugly ducklings to swans, cactuses, roses, bitter pills to swallow, learning from mistakes, and other forms of blessings in disguises.
posted by iamkimiam at 3:03 PM on May 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
Any example of discomfort => growth, pain =>, ugliness => beauty. Awkward => super strength. So, lotus flowers from swamps, ugly ducklings to swans, cactuses, roses, bitter pills to swallow, learning from mistakes, and other forms of blessings in disguises.
posted by iamkimiam at 3:03 PM on May 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
April showers bring May flowers.
If April showers bring May flowers, what do Mayflowers bring? Pilgrims of course.
If I wasn't failing, I wasn't trying or I wasn't learning.
Broken eggs make for good omelets.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 5:01 PM on May 28, 2022
If April showers bring May flowers, what do Mayflowers bring? Pilgrims of course.
If I wasn't failing, I wasn't trying or I wasn't learning.
Broken eggs make for good omelets.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 5:01 PM on May 28, 2022
Best answer: There are many old Army maxims like this:
If it ain't rainin', it ain't trainin'.
Embrace the suck!
The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.
posted by Etrigan at 6:04 PM on May 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
If it ain't rainin', it ain't trainin'.
Embrace the suck!
The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.
posted by Etrigan at 6:04 PM on May 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
Helpful people are a nuisance.
One of Robert Fripp's Guitar Craft Aphorisms.
posted by Grangousier at 1:04 PM on May 29, 2022
One of Robert Fripp's Guitar Craft Aphorisms.
posted by Grangousier at 1:04 PM on May 29, 2022
I suppose there's also the Tory slogan from when John Major was Chancellor of the Exchequer: "If it's not hurting, it's not working", I think about the steps that were taken against inflation. It did hurt people, and it didn't really work, like a lot of their policies.
posted by Grangousier at 1:08 PM on May 29, 2022
posted by Grangousier at 1:08 PM on May 29, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by dreamphone at 8:57 AM on May 28, 2022 [1 favorite]