Mastery of Metaphor
This is the exact text of a Tweetstorm I wrote in 2020.
Wanna 10x your writing skills?
Become a master of metaphor.
“Metaphor? Like, fluffy poetry stuff?!”
Yeah, no… the way it’s taught in school is ABYSMAL. 😱
Aristotle wrote, “The greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor.”
Here’s what 90% of us didn’t get in class:
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In school, they define metaphor as “A comparison of unlike things without using the words LIKE or AS.”
Along with that dreadfully unintuitive definition, they imply that metaphor is special & exotic—good for poets, but not for us humans.
Nothing could be further from the truth!
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In fact, language *is* metaphor. We CONSTANTLY use one thing to represent another thing.
Example 1:
Up = Good; Down = Bad.
– Moving “up” in the world
– Feeling “low”
– “High” standards
– It’s “downhill” from here
– “Upstanding” citizens
– “Stooping” to his level is “beneath” me
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Ex 2:
Cleverness = Sharp Object. 🗡️
– A “razor-sharp” wit
– A “keen” mind
– “Incisive” critique
– She “cuts” to the heart of the matter
Ex 3:
Argument = War. 💣
– He “attacked every weak point” in my argument
– She “shot down” my argument
– Your claims are “indefensible”
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Metaphors are tied to our behavior. “Argument = War” supports the view that “argument” is combative.
Imagine instead using “Argument = Journey or Path”:
🚶♂️
* “Walk me through” the argument
* “Follow it step by step”
* “Arrive” at a conclusion
* Don’t “veer off” onto a tangent
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Or perhaps “Argument = A Construction Project”:
🏛️
* “Build” an argument
* Build it on a strong “foundation”
* Show me its “components” & “structure”
Perhaps a household that changes its metaphorical understanding of “argument” could become more peaceful. 🕊️
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In any case, there are many ways of communicating things, & metaphor always plays a role.
That’s why if you become a master of metaphor, your writing will get stronger.
For a paradigm-shifting cognitive adventure, study the classic Metaphors We Live By.
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Photo by Uriel Soberanes on Unsplash