Values peeking through

Analogies abound using sports. Some of the recent ones are the ones listed.

1) You have to go the whole 9 yards.

2) That idea is out of left field.

3) You can't hit a home run every time you get to the plate.

4) A law called "3 strikes and you're out."

5) Someone fumbled the account.

6) At least hand it off to someone else if you can't do it.

7) Someone is expected of "foul" play.

8) How many "hurdles" stand in your way?

9) We're in the "home stretch" of the school year.

10) You're just batting 1000 on that project, aren't you?

Etc...

It's one of the facts about language that we use analogies to get a point across or to increase understanding. That means that idioms represent the underlying values in a society. Sports analogies abound because sports are important in our society. But beyond the type of analogy being used, a value is present in the analogy. George Lakoff is the researcher most familiar with this phenomenon. So, #4 on the list above shows a value of toleration in the legal system. # 8 above lets us know that people know there will be obstacles in life and that one has to really work hard or out-think the competition in order to overcome. All 10 in one way or another represent a philosophy of life.

Next time you use a comparison, notice what the underlying value is. It will represent what you think is really important in life. If you like the value, keep using the analogy. If you don't like the value, you might work on changing your outlook. The analogy that houses the value will take care of itself. You'll see that it will adjust accordingly.