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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Snarf Zagyg" data-source="post: 8372359" data-attributes="member: 7023840">I read something just now that I had to post here-Something I’ve noticed in recent years that Wu didn’t get into is that readers desire precision in metaphors and analogies, even though metaphor is — by definition! — not supposed to be taken literally. People seem much more interested in taking analogies apart, identifying what doesn’t work, and discarding them rather than — more generously and constructively IMO — using them as the author intended to better understand the subject matter. The perfect metaphor doesn’t exist because then it wouldn’t be a metaphor.(h/t kottke.org)This was posted as an observation about the pandemic, but this also encapsulates, perfectly, a feeling I've had when having discussions on the internet. A truly good metaphor or analogy can be used to illuminate; they are the perfect mechanism when you are trying to explain something in order to get a concept across.But far too often, internet discussions are not conversations and are not viewed (by many people) as an attempt to understand something, but instead as attempt to battle it. So instead of attempting to see the utility (even if limited) of the analogy, all the effort is put into rubbishing it because ... the analogy is not, and cannot be, the same as whatever is being discussed. sigh</blockquote>