WEBVTT 00:00:10.830 --> 00:00:13.550 Welcome to Students Incorporated. I'm your host, 00:00:13.589 --> 00:00:16.329 Mr. Jason. Join me weekly as my students and 00:00:16.329 --> 00:00:18.850 I bring you content that's informative, positive, 00:00:19.010 --> 00:00:21.809 fun and uplifting. This podcast is created and 00:00:21.809 --> 00:00:23.949 produced with the help of students from the International 00:00:23.949 --> 00:00:28.940 Community School of Bangkok. Hello everyone and 00:00:28.940 --> 00:00:30.940 welcome back. I'm Highlight and I'll be the host 00:00:30.940 --> 00:00:33.259 for this episode. We're exploring something that 00:00:33.259 --> 00:00:35.520 sits right at the intersection of creativity 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:38.859 and logic, metaphors. We usually think of them 00:00:38.859 --> 00:00:41.240 as just poetry, but they are actually powerful 00:00:41.240 --> 00:00:43.399 tools that shape how we think and understand. 00:00:43.700 --> 00:00:45.659 To help talk about this today, I'm joined by 00:00:45.659 --> 00:00:49.299 co -hosts Josiah and Proud, and we have invited 00:00:49.299 --> 00:00:51.759 Mr. Ben and Mr. Jason to be our teacher guests. 00:00:52.250 --> 00:00:54.869 But before we jump into segment one, let's hear 00:00:54.869 --> 00:00:57.649 our quote of the day and get our headline news. 00:00:57.909 --> 00:01:00.350 Our quote of the day comes from brilliant Leora 00:01:00.350 --> 00:01:02.969 Hill, who once said, metaphors don't just describe 00:01:02.969 --> 00:01:05.189 the world, they rearrange the way our minds see 00:01:05.189 --> 00:01:07.819 it. Now, let's unpack that for a second. Hale 00:01:07.819 --> 00:01:09.640 is telling us that language isn't just a neutral 00:01:09.640 --> 00:01:12.620 tool. When we use a metaphor like calling a challenge 00:01:12.620 --> 00:01:15.079 a climb or a battle, we aren't just being poetic. 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:17.659 We are actually changing our psychological approach 00:01:17.659 --> 00:01:20.659 to that situation. If it's a climb, we look for 00:01:20.659 --> 00:01:22.780 a path. If it's a battle, we look for an enemy. 00:01:23.480 --> 00:01:25.500 This is so relevant to our discussion today because 00:01:25.500 --> 00:01:27.819 the way we label our experiences dictates how 00:01:27.819 --> 00:01:30.540 we solve our problems. It's about the power of 00:01:30.540 --> 00:01:32.819 perspectives. And as we dive into our main topic, 00:01:32.980 --> 00:01:34.980 I want us all to think about the metaphors that 00:01:34.980 --> 00:01:37.620 we're using to describe our own lives. And that's 00:01:37.620 --> 00:01:39.140 our quote of the day. Now on to some headline 00:01:39.140 --> 00:01:41.819 news. Thank you for our quote of the day. Our 00:01:41.819 --> 00:01:43.719 first headline comes from the New York Atlantic 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:46.840 Herald Review. A new cognitive linguistics report 00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:48.939 released by the Columbia Center for Language 00:01:48.939 --> 00:01:51.620 and Mind reveals that metaphors may influence 00:01:51.620 --> 00:01:54.140 public behavior more powerfully than direct factual 00:01:54.140 --> 00:01:56.659 statements. According to this study, people were 00:01:56.659 --> 00:01:59.780 nearly 40 % more likely to support social initiatives 00:01:59.780 --> 00:02:02.079 when they were framed through metaphorical language, 00:02:02.299 --> 00:02:05.340 such as describing economic recovery as a garden 00:02:05.340 --> 00:02:07.859 that needs tending rather than a process that 00:02:07.859 --> 00:02:10.819 requires regulation. Lead researcher Dr. Sharina 00:02:10.819 --> 00:02:13.520 Volkov says that findings highlight the urgent 00:02:13.520 --> 00:02:16.080 need for policymakers to understand how figurative 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:18.840 language can subtly steer public interpretation, 00:02:19.139 --> 00:02:22.319 often without conscious awareness. Our next headline 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:24.860 comes from Nairobi, published by the Global Education 00:02:24.860 --> 00:02:27.719 Tribune. Kenyan educators are reporting measurable 00:02:27.719 --> 00:02:30.240 improvements in student comprehension after the 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:33.319 Ministry of Education introduced a national metaphor 00:02:33.319 --> 00:02:36.669 integration program for secondary schools. The 00:02:36.669 --> 00:02:38.849 initiative trains teachers to use metaphors to 00:02:38.849 --> 00:02:41.530 explain complex scientific and mathematical concepts. 00:02:41.849 --> 00:02:45.009 An early result shows a 22 % increase in topic 00:02:45.009 --> 00:02:48.349 retention among Form 3 students. Program director 00:02:48.349 --> 00:02:51.210 Moses Okelo notes that metaphors help bridge 00:02:51.210 --> 00:02:54.729 linguistic, cultural, and conceptual gaps, allowing 00:02:54.729 --> 00:02:57.210 students to connect abstract ideas to everyday 00:02:57.210 --> 00:02:59.949 experience. Our last headline comes from Berlin, 00:03:00.090 --> 00:03:02.289 covered by the European Creative Industries Journal. 00:03:02.860 --> 00:03:05.780 German tech company VerbaTech has unveiled Metaforge, 00:03:05.900 --> 00:03:08.340 an AI -powered writing companion designed to 00:03:08.340 --> 00:03:10.699 generate context -appropriate metaphors for journalists, 00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:13.759 authors, and marketing teams. The tool analyzes 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:16.620 tones, audience, and subject matter before creating 00:03:16.620 --> 00:03:19.280 original figurative expressions, already earning 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:21.919 attention from major European publishers experimenting 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:24.800 with metaphor -driven storytelling. The company's 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:27.300 CEO, Andrew Rittner, said the goal is not to 00:03:27.300 --> 00:03:29.379 replace human creativity, but to help writers 00:03:29.379 --> 00:03:31.439 build fresher, more emotionally resonant language 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:34.900 in an age of information overload. Thank you 00:03:34.900 --> 00:03:37.060 for that quote and the headlines. We are now 00:03:37.060 --> 00:03:39.500 looking at the power of metaphors, how they shape 00:03:39.500 --> 00:03:41.740 our thinking, our communication, and even our 00:03:41.740 --> 00:03:44.699 culture. Let's get started. Welcome to the show, 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:47.180 Mr. Ben and Mr. Jason. Before we jump in, could 00:03:47.180 --> 00:03:48.979 you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about 00:03:48.979 --> 00:03:52.819 what you do here at ICS? Why, yes, of course, 00:03:52.860 --> 00:03:56.360 proud I can. My name is Mr. Ben, and I teach 00:03:56.360 --> 00:03:59.539 high school English language arts, specifically 00:03:59.539 --> 00:04:03.400 the classes of American Literature and AP Literature. 00:04:03.979 --> 00:04:06.939 A few small facts about myself. I'm married to 00:04:06.939 --> 00:04:12.099 Mrs. Asia. She teaches K4, K5 specials. My father 00:04:12.099 --> 00:04:15.120 -in -law is the legendary Jason, Mr. Jason Weimer. 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:19.000 And my mother -in -law is the incredible Mrs. 00:04:19.139 --> 00:04:22.399 Donnie Weimer. This is actually my second time 00:04:22.399 --> 00:04:24.160 on the show. I'm happy to be here with you guys. 00:04:24.740 --> 00:04:27.300 Thank you very much for that introduction, Mr. 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:31.240 Ben. Yes, I'm Mr. Jason, and usually I'm on the 00:04:31.240 --> 00:04:34.399 other side of the table. And Mr. Ben is my son 00:04:34.399 --> 00:04:36.959 -in -law, so it is fun being on the mic again 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:39.439 with him. I teach marketing, entrepreneurship, 00:04:39.819 --> 00:04:42.860 business, and two other technology classes here 00:04:42.860 --> 00:04:46.800 at ICS and help lead this podcast class. So, 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:50.800 yeah, thanks for having me as a guest. So to 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:53.060 start, we should probably set a baseline, Mr. 00:04:53.120 --> 00:04:55.399 Ben. In the literal sense, what is a technical 00:04:55.399 --> 00:04:59.259 definition of a metaphor? I'm glad you asked, 00:04:59.399 --> 00:05:01.879 Proud. Let me tell you. A technical definition 00:05:01.879 --> 00:05:04.680 of a metaphor is a figure of speech in which 00:05:04.680 --> 00:05:08.300 a word or phrase is applied to an object or action. 00:05:08.839 --> 00:05:11.079 to which it is not literally applicable. Now, 00:05:11.100 --> 00:05:12.720 I'm sure you guys were all following that, so 00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:14.899 let me give you another one. A metaphor is an 00:05:14.899 --> 00:05:18.360 implied comparison between two unrelated things, 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:23.579 generally succinct. Mr. Jason, definitions are 00:05:23.579 --> 00:05:25.779 one thing, but metaphors really live in the real 00:05:25.779 --> 00:05:27.980 world. Do you have a metaphor that comes to mind, 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:30.000 maybe one that you have heard or used before? 00:05:30.770 --> 00:05:33.410 Yeah, I kind of like the one that goes like this. 00:05:33.550 --> 00:05:35.930 I had to kind of think of different metaphors 00:05:35.930 --> 00:05:38.449 that I've used before or have heard other people 00:05:38.449 --> 00:05:41.029 use. And I thought this one was good. Laughter 00:05:41.029 --> 00:05:43.610 is the best medicine. Have you heard that before? 00:05:44.220 --> 00:05:46.860 So now the cool part of metaphors is that in 00:05:46.860 --> 00:05:49.639 a way they can help create word pictures in our 00:05:49.639 --> 00:05:52.100 minds or maybe even take us back to a time or 00:05:52.100 --> 00:05:54.300 place where this was true in our own experience. 00:05:54.899 --> 00:05:57.660 So if you're feeling down, sad, tired, or even 00:05:57.660 --> 00:06:00.819 sick, sometimes just laughing will help you feel 00:06:00.819 --> 00:06:03.420 better. Or it might even help in your recovery. 00:06:04.540 --> 00:06:06.759 And Mr. Ben, how about you? What's one that sticks 00:06:06.759 --> 00:06:10.019 with you? Yeah, I think for me it's something 00:06:10.019 --> 00:06:13.050 similar. It's stuff that... has more meaning 00:06:13.050 --> 00:06:15.870 or impact for me. So one of the things that comes 00:06:15.870 --> 00:06:19.370 to mind is thinking about faith -based metaphors. 00:06:19.629 --> 00:06:22.089 So as a Christian, there's a lot of those that 00:06:22.089 --> 00:06:25.110 are found inside the Bible. So for example, you 00:06:25.110 --> 00:06:27.949 hear things like, Jesus Christ is referred to 00:06:27.949 --> 00:06:31.029 as the bread of life, or the living vine, and 00:06:31.029 --> 00:06:34.370 we are the branches, the living water that you 00:06:34.370 --> 00:06:36.290 can come and drink from so that you don't thirst 00:06:36.290 --> 00:06:39.250 anymore. So those I think are really, really 00:06:39.250 --> 00:06:42.430 good examples of how a metaphor can capture an 00:06:42.430 --> 00:06:45.569 idea that's difficult to describe with words 00:06:45.569 --> 00:06:48.029 or maybe even impossible to fully describe with 00:06:48.029 --> 00:06:50.670 words but then it draws a picture from that picture 00:06:50.670 --> 00:06:53.490 you can really gather more meaning from it so 00:06:53.490 --> 00:06:56.870 yeah those were a few that stood out to me those 00:06:56.870 --> 00:06:59.290 are great examples from your perspective as teachers 00:06:59.290 --> 00:07:02.089 how does a metaphor actually help a student understand 00:07:02.089 --> 00:07:04.589 a complex idea better than a regular explanation 00:07:06.280 --> 00:07:08.740 OK, this is a good question, and I've got to 00:07:08.740 --> 00:07:11.899 put this in the context of maybe this class, 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:14.100 the marketing class. So in marketing, if you 00:07:14.100 --> 00:07:17.180 have to explain something, you you are likely 00:07:17.180 --> 00:07:19.620 to lose your audience's attention if you have 00:07:19.620 --> 00:07:23.199 to explain it in great detail. Right. So there's 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:25.120 even a funny word that has developed for this 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:28.060 called mansplaining. Maybe you've heard of this. 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:31.839 Obviously you have. So, of course, this can be 00:07:31.839 --> 00:07:34.779 applied to women as well. But men do this quite 00:07:34.779 --> 00:07:37.379 well, right? Mansplain things. But if I were 00:07:37.379 --> 00:07:39.939 to teach my students how to communicate the value 00:07:39.939 --> 00:07:42.740 of something, like if we were talking to a customer, 00:07:42.920 --> 00:07:46.000 without having to explain all the small technical 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:49.199 details and so forth, I might suggest they try 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:52.019 to use a metaphor. I would say something like, 00:07:52.060 --> 00:07:55.019 a metaphor is the elevator pitch of an idea. 00:07:55.769 --> 00:07:58.490 This may help them understand that their marketing 00:07:58.490 --> 00:08:01.410 approach needs to be straightforward, simple, 00:08:01.529 --> 00:08:04.410 and short. If you can't communicate the value 00:08:04.410 --> 00:08:06.529 of your product or service in that short time 00:08:06.529 --> 00:08:09.009 period, you'll probably lose the attention of 00:08:09.009 --> 00:08:13.329 your intended audience. And let's just stop mansplaining 00:08:13.329 --> 00:08:17.110 things, right? Yeah, I like that. And I think 00:08:17.110 --> 00:08:19.649 it actually shows an interesting point, which 00:08:19.649 --> 00:08:21.970 is that the whole deal behind metaphor is... 00:08:22.329 --> 00:08:25.050 is to convey something in a quicker period of 00:08:25.050 --> 00:08:27.389 time, like Mr. Jason was saying. So you guys 00:08:27.389 --> 00:08:29.329 have probably heard the expression that a picture 00:08:29.329 --> 00:08:32.289 is worth a thousand words. And the idea behind 00:08:32.289 --> 00:08:35.750 that is that you're trying to evoke different 00:08:35.750 --> 00:08:39.269 ideas or pictures or characteristics that surround 00:08:39.269 --> 00:08:42.649 something and put it together into a point that 00:08:42.649 --> 00:08:45.070 the reader can understand more easily. So, for 00:08:45.070 --> 00:08:47.470 example, taking it into the world of literature, 00:08:47.809 --> 00:08:49.850 let's say you want to talk about a character 00:08:49.850 --> 00:08:52.700 who's like... man, this character is cold. This 00:08:52.700 --> 00:08:54.679 character is somebody who's mean. They're trying 00:08:54.679 --> 00:08:57.139 to get out there and get people. You could describe 00:08:57.139 --> 00:08:58.799 these things. You could say they're ruthless, 00:08:59.019 --> 00:09:01.000 they're emotionless, or whatever. Or you could 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:05.259 just say, he was a shark among minnows. Boom. 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:07.639 Right there you have this picture that evokes 00:09:07.639 --> 00:09:10.559 this image of what a shark is like amongst the 00:09:10.559 --> 00:09:12.679 innocent or the naive. And that's kind of the 00:09:12.679 --> 00:09:14.720 point of it. It's meant to create that picture, 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:17.860 be vivid, descriptive, rather than requiring 00:09:17.860 --> 00:09:19.820 a whole paragraph like the one that I just gave 00:09:19.820 --> 00:09:23.679 you. So this next question is for both of you. 00:09:23.740 --> 00:09:25.779 Thinking about your classes, have you ever seen 00:09:25.779 --> 00:09:28.039 a student having a light bulb moment because 00:09:28.039 --> 00:09:30.480 of a specific metaphor? What was the concept 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:34.460 they were struggling with? Yeah, so I can't say 00:09:34.460 --> 00:09:36.320 that I've had a moment where I saw a student 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:38.379 who was like, oh my goodness, that metaphor just 00:09:38.379 --> 00:09:41.519 completely illuminated some kind of concept or 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:43.559 idea. I wish I want to see that. That sounds 00:09:43.559 --> 00:09:47.039 amazing. So for me, it's more like I've seen 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:49.759 them start to recognize metaphors inside their 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:52.529 writing and their reading. And then point those 00:09:52.529 --> 00:09:54.870 out to good effect. In fact, when I was reading 00:09:54.870 --> 00:09:57.610 this question, I was like, oh, this whole, the 00:09:57.610 --> 00:10:00.210 question itself is a metaphor moment. If you're 00:10:00.210 --> 00:10:03.669 having like some sort of epiphany about an idea 00:10:03.669 --> 00:10:05.889 or concept, it's a light bulb turning on. So 00:10:05.889 --> 00:10:08.850 I think you start to recognize those more in 00:10:08.850 --> 00:10:11.029 different places. And that's one of the cool 00:10:11.029 --> 00:10:13.549 highlights of being in the classroom with metaphors. 00:10:14.090 --> 00:10:16.269 I guess I can talk about one of my classes. I 00:10:16.269 --> 00:10:19.210 teach a technology class where I teach general. 00:10:19.639 --> 00:10:22.679 technology concepts. And one of those, I talk 00:10:22.679 --> 00:10:25.759 a lot about hardware, computer hardware. In this 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:28.759 class, I have my students design a poster where 00:10:28.759 --> 00:10:31.779 they're supposed to put all of the internal components 00:10:31.779 --> 00:10:35.919 of a computer on the poster. And I tell the students 00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:39.100 that this poster is intended for elementary age 00:10:39.100 --> 00:10:42.370 kids. and that when they write the descriptions 00:10:42.370 --> 00:10:44.470 on the poster of these different components, 00:10:44.629 --> 00:10:48.129 they have to speak so an elementary child or 00:10:48.129 --> 00:10:50.950 like an elementary age student can understand. 00:10:51.149 --> 00:10:53.870 And some of these internal components of a computer 00:10:53.870 --> 00:10:57.889 are very technical. For example, RAM, random 00:10:57.889 --> 00:11:01.769 access memory, CPU, right? What does CPU mean? 00:11:02.129 --> 00:11:05.350 Central processing unit, okay? See, these are 00:11:05.350 --> 00:11:08.250 hard to remember, right? And so we can't expect 00:11:08.250 --> 00:11:10.269 a third or second grader to be like, hey, that's 00:11:10.269 --> 00:11:13.289 a central processing unit. So I tell them to 00:11:13.289 --> 00:11:15.529 write things that are simple, connected to something 00:11:15.529 --> 00:11:18.809 that we already know. So, for example, CPU, we 00:11:18.809 --> 00:11:21.549 would say, is the brain of the computer. We all 00:11:21.549 --> 00:11:23.470 know what the brain does, and so does a child, 00:11:23.570 --> 00:11:26.850 right? It's the thinking part. And so explaining 00:11:26.850 --> 00:11:30.269 this and then having students recreate or create 00:11:30.269 --> 00:11:33.309 their own metaphors or connect that really helps 00:11:33.309 --> 00:11:36.100 in the classroom. Earlier I shared a news story 00:11:36.100 --> 00:11:38.480 about how calling an economic recovery a garden 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:40.639 makes people more supportive than calling it 00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:43.080 a regulation process. Do you think that we can 00:11:43.080 --> 00:11:45.320 trick our own brains into being more successful 00:11:45.320 --> 00:11:47.539 by choosing better metaphors for our schoolwork? 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:50.980 I don't know if I would call it tricking our 00:11:50.980 --> 00:11:53.539 brains necessarily. Maybe I would say that we 00:11:53.539 --> 00:11:56.700 are providing our brains a shortcut around a 00:11:56.700 --> 00:11:59.899 more complex thinking process that may not be 00:11:59.899 --> 00:12:03.100 fun or or even might be difficult to understand. 00:12:03.320 --> 00:12:06.639 So we all seek clarity, and if we are honest 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:09.299 with ourselves, we also seek the path of least 00:12:09.299 --> 00:12:13.120 resistance, right? So if I connect schoolwork 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:16.639 to a path, and a path usually takes us somewhere, 00:12:16.899 --> 00:12:19.279 metaphors can be our guide markers along the 00:12:19.279 --> 00:12:22.600 way. So schoolwork is taking us to a destination, 00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:26.480 which I hope is knowledge and ultimately wisdom 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:29.320 on how to use that knowledge. So hopefully that 00:12:29.320 --> 00:12:32.519 kind of helps. What do you think, Mr. Ben? Yeah, 00:12:32.539 --> 00:12:34.740 no, I think that's exactly it. I think the whole 00:12:34.740 --> 00:12:37.059 point of, like, if you're going to use metaphors 00:12:37.059 --> 00:12:39.419 to make something easier that's more complicated, 00:12:39.700 --> 00:12:41.980 then do it in a way that makes it fun. So if 00:12:41.980 --> 00:12:43.340 you want to use it for homework, call it like 00:12:43.340 --> 00:12:47.480 a battle. Call it a, you know, a survival route. 00:12:47.700 --> 00:12:49.779 You're climbing a mountain. You're finishing 00:12:49.779 --> 00:12:52.100 a race. And the whole point behind that is to 00:12:52.100 --> 00:12:54.299 make it something that's fun, right? So it's 00:12:54.299 --> 00:12:57.100 also like... not just easier and understanding 00:12:57.100 --> 00:12:59.080 like Mr. Jason was saying, but also like a way, 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:01.159 how can you sustain your interest in it? And 00:13:01.159 --> 00:13:05.100 people tend to be a lot more drawn to stories 00:13:05.100 --> 00:13:07.779 and like things or somebody is overcoming something 00:13:07.779 --> 00:13:09.740 and there's some kind of a reward at the end 00:13:09.740 --> 00:13:13.580 of it than it is to undergo a regulation process 00:13:13.580 --> 00:13:16.779 or write a paper. That's not as exciting, right? 00:13:16.820 --> 00:13:18.580 Even as an English teacher. But if you're turning 00:13:18.580 --> 00:13:20.159 it into some kind of struggle with some kind 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:22.860 of reward, use a metaphor for that, right? Why 00:13:22.860 --> 00:13:25.179 not, right? You're going to cross the ocean. 00:13:25.299 --> 00:13:26.799 At the other end, you're going to find the buried 00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:30.960 treasure of a successful paper. Wow. And make 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:32.899 the buried treasure. Like, I don't know. Go shopping. 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:36.340 Get something fun. Get a treat. So this next 00:13:36.340 --> 00:13:38.659 question is for you, Mr. Ben, since you teach 00:13:38.659 --> 00:13:41.860 L .A. language arts. So we read a lot of metaphors 00:13:41.860 --> 00:13:44.279 in books. So can you explain to us why authors 00:13:44.279 --> 00:13:47.840 use metaphor in storytellings? That is an awesome 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:50.120 question. And I could talk for a long time about 00:13:50.120 --> 00:13:54.190 that, but I'll try not to. OK, so. So I appreciate 00:13:54.190 --> 00:13:56.149 this from a dual lens. And actually, Mr. Jason, 00:13:56.230 --> 00:13:58.090 I think, well, maybe has something to offer this 00:13:58.090 --> 00:14:02.029 too. So on one hand, in reading literature, I 00:14:02.029 --> 00:14:06.070 notice how so many authors use metaphors to make 00:14:06.070 --> 00:14:07.970 points or ideas. But then also from a perspective 00:14:07.970 --> 00:14:12.690 of writing, using those metaphors to like paint 00:14:12.690 --> 00:14:15.269 a picture is also something powerful. So on either 00:14:15.269 --> 00:14:17.210 side, whether you're reading or writing, it's 00:14:17.210 --> 00:14:20.649 this idea of like, why do people get invested 00:14:20.649 --> 00:14:24.500 in a story? Why do they get invested in a book 00:14:24.500 --> 00:14:30.379 or a movie or a game? It's because they're entering 00:14:30.379 --> 00:14:32.480 into another world. There's something in there 00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:34.720 that's like pulling them in and having them be 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:36.919 invested in the outcome of it. And metaphors 00:14:36.919 --> 00:14:39.539 are a huge part of that because for a book, you 00:14:39.539 --> 00:14:42.059 don't have the advantage of audio and video. 00:14:42.179 --> 00:14:44.659 You have words. When you're reading those words, 00:14:44.940 --> 00:14:46.200 like for some of you that have really gotten 00:14:46.200 --> 00:14:49.360 into a fiction book. you start to almost feel 00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:51.620 like you're seeing a movie in your head. At least 00:14:51.620 --> 00:14:53.240 that's how I am. If I get into a story, I'm just 00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:54.860 like, oh my goodness, I'm sitting down for hours 00:14:54.860 --> 00:14:56.360 and I'm going to watch this movie basically. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:14:58.720 And a huge part of that is because the author 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:01.419 gives you the cues to like paint the picture 00:15:01.419 --> 00:15:03.320 in your mind of what's happening. And metaphors 00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:06.779 are a huge part of that. So if a lot of times 00:15:06.779 --> 00:15:09.220 the author is trying to show a setting or an 00:15:09.220 --> 00:15:12.960 event or a conflict, it's too big sometimes to 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:14.600 just put into a paragraph. You have to have like, 00:15:14.820 --> 00:15:17.200 okay, I'm going to pack it into this metaphor. 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:19.720 to demonstrate something that's harder to explain, 00:15:19.879 --> 00:15:22.980 like I talked about earlier. So I think it's 00:15:22.980 --> 00:15:25.139 really this idea about conveying meaning in a 00:15:25.139 --> 00:15:27.600 way that is inherently interesting. And man, 00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:30.320 stories without that would basically be like 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:34.980 a news article. It's not the same thing. So yeah, 00:15:35.019 --> 00:15:38.639 anything to add, Mr. Jason? As an author, like 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:41.519 describing something, you really have to put 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:46.059 that meaning into the language. The meaning's 00:15:46.059 --> 00:15:47.440 already in the language. You just have to use 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:51.860 the language properly. So like Mr. Ben was saying, 00:15:51.940 --> 00:15:54.759 we don't have the ability to film something. 00:15:55.500 --> 00:15:59.840 And we don't have special effects in our writing, 00:15:59.919 --> 00:16:02.519 right? So it's just words. So we have to be very 00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:05.580 descriptive and very creative of how we use those 00:16:05.580 --> 00:16:10.539 words. And yeah, if it's a good story, it'll 00:16:10.539 --> 00:16:13.320 pull us in, right? And if it pulls you in, you 00:16:13.320 --> 00:16:15.019 feel like you're part of it. And you want to 00:16:15.019 --> 00:16:16.720 see what's next, what's going to happen next 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:20.080 to those heroes or villains, right? So, especially 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:22.860 if it's fiction. Even some non -fiction books 00:16:22.860 --> 00:16:25.399 that I've read, they're very much focused on 00:16:25.399 --> 00:16:28.279 telling the story of something or someone. And 00:16:28.279 --> 00:16:30.879 even if it's a history book, which I actually 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:32.899 enjoy reading history books, but the history 00:16:32.899 --> 00:16:35.700 books are describing stories and the people in 00:16:35.700 --> 00:16:38.139 those stories. And that's what pulls us in and 00:16:38.139 --> 00:16:41.639 the language becomes very descriptive. And they 00:16:41.639 --> 00:16:44.679 can say less things using metaphors than if they 00:16:44.679 --> 00:16:47.000 were to describe it through a big, long process. 00:16:47.299 --> 00:16:51.440 So that's that's what I could add. All right. 00:16:51.480 --> 00:16:53.639 Thank you. Before our break, we have one last 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:56.419 question. Is there ever a danger to metaphors? 00:16:56.500 --> 00:16:59.059 Can a bad metaphor actually make it harder for 00:16:59.059 --> 00:17:02.360 us to understand the truth? Yeah, I like this 00:17:02.360 --> 00:17:05.359 question and I'll go first on this one. I do 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:07.440 believe there is a danger on how a metaphor can 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:11.109 can frame reality. For example, I'm going to 00:17:11.109 --> 00:17:15.289 go back to a business example because I've actually 00:17:15.289 --> 00:17:17.849 heard this a lot. So because I teach business 00:17:17.849 --> 00:17:22.630 classes, sometimes I hear this this word war 00:17:22.630 --> 00:17:26.470 or war is a metaphor when they talk about business. 00:17:27.170 --> 00:17:30.970 And the idea of like crushing your competition 00:17:30.970 --> 00:17:35.329 or capturing territory. Right. Even within the 00:17:35.329 --> 00:17:38.130 like a sales department. I've even heard this 00:17:38.130 --> 00:17:40.900 one used before. and pass jobs, I'm going to 00:17:40.900 --> 00:17:43.160 kill the competition. What can we do to kill 00:17:43.160 --> 00:17:46.519 the competition? Well, we stop looking for what 00:17:46.519 --> 00:17:49.880 we call win -win situations when we start using 00:17:49.880 --> 00:17:52.799 language like that over and over and over. And 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:54.980 within the context of working with other people 00:17:54.980 --> 00:17:58.099 or within an organization, it actually builds 00:17:58.099 --> 00:18:01.579 a culture of, in this type of example, could 00:18:01.579 --> 00:18:05.220 be a negative culture of always looking to get 00:18:05.220 --> 00:18:07.700 above or beyond someone else and putting them 00:18:07.700 --> 00:18:12.130 down. OK, so win win situation teaches how to 00:18:12.130 --> 00:18:15.210 develop partnerships and how to collaborate for 00:18:15.210 --> 00:18:17.710 the benefit of many. Where that war metaphor 00:18:17.710 --> 00:18:20.849 in business is like, no, I'm in it for myself 00:18:20.849 --> 00:18:23.009 and I'm going to destroy anybody in my path. 00:18:23.430 --> 00:18:26.670 And so metaphors can frame reality in a certain 00:18:26.670 --> 00:18:30.630 way and potentially even become damaging to us 00:18:30.630 --> 00:18:35.099 personally, our culture. If you're in an organization, 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:38.059 it could hurt your organizational culture and 00:18:38.059 --> 00:18:40.380 it could actually put people within your organization 00:18:40.380 --> 00:18:43.019 against each other as well. So we have to be 00:18:43.019 --> 00:18:46.140 careful because metaphors are very powerful. 00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:48.940 And if we continue to repeat them and use them 00:18:48.940 --> 00:18:51.539 over and over, we start to believe them and we 00:18:51.539 --> 00:18:53.700 start to act it out. So what do you think, Mr. 00:18:53.740 --> 00:18:57.059 Venn? Yeah, no, I think that's real. And that's 00:18:57.059 --> 00:19:00.829 something that carries the idea of like... theme 00:19:00.829 --> 00:19:04.630 and vision and how you're using descriptive language 00:19:04.630 --> 00:19:06.789 to carry that forward. And you can use it responsibly 00:19:06.789 --> 00:19:08.890 or you can use it not so responsibly, like the 00:19:08.890 --> 00:19:11.390 ways that you were saying. One other thing that 00:19:11.390 --> 00:19:13.049 came to mind for me that's maybe a little bit 00:19:13.049 --> 00:19:16.829 more granular is when you just think about how 00:19:16.829 --> 00:19:19.450 you use metaphors in daily language. So let's 00:19:19.450 --> 00:19:22.519 say, for example, I want to compliment someone. 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:24.660 Josiah, I'm going to use you as an example here. 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:26.299 Let's say I want to compliment Josiah, and I 00:19:26.299 --> 00:19:29.019 want to talk about how strong Josiah is, durable. 00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:32.480 He's able to survive in harsh environments, resilient, 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:35.480 adaptable. But all that I say to someone when 00:19:35.480 --> 00:19:37.519 I'm talking to them about Josiah is, you know, 00:19:37.539 --> 00:19:41.380 Josiah, that guy's a cactus. And that's all that 00:19:41.380 --> 00:19:44.480 I say. Now, I had an idea in my head with that 00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:47.319 metaphor, but what people think when they hear 00:19:47.319 --> 00:19:50.730 that is usually... He's kind of a prickly, irritable, 00:19:50.730 --> 00:19:54.130 frustrating sort of guy to be around. So the 00:19:54.130 --> 00:19:56.190 point is with that, I don't think that's usually 00:19:56.190 --> 00:19:58.210 that's not what happens. But if you are going 00:19:58.210 --> 00:20:00.710 to use descriptive language, especially in your 00:20:00.710 --> 00:20:02.930 relationships and with people, be careful about 00:20:02.930 --> 00:20:05.529 context or maybe explain some of the metaphors, 00:20:05.529 --> 00:20:07.690 because what's obvious to you is not always so 00:20:07.690 --> 00:20:10.329 obvious to somebody else. And metaphors carry 00:20:10.329 --> 00:20:14.769 power. That is a fascinating point to end on, 00:20:14.849 --> 00:20:18.230 Mr. Ben and Mr. Jason. The idea that a metaphor 00:20:18.230 --> 00:20:21.190 can be a double edged sword. Hopefully you caught 00:20:21.190 --> 00:20:25.369 that metaphor. Double edged sword. Yeah. Anyway, 00:20:25.509 --> 00:20:27.670 we're going to take a quick break. And when we 00:20:27.670 --> 00:20:29.710 come back, we'll talk more about the power of 00:20:29.710 --> 00:20:33.289 metaphors with Mr. Jason and Mr. Ben. Stick around, 00:20:33.410 --> 00:20:41.450 guys. We've spent the first half of our show 00:20:41.450 --> 00:20:43.769 talking about how metaphors can rewire our brains. 00:20:44.250 --> 00:20:46.430 But as we think about reframing our lives, I 00:20:46.430 --> 00:20:48.549 want to remind you to hold space for the power 00:20:48.549 --> 00:20:51.930 of patience. You see, we live in a world of instant 00:20:51.930 --> 00:20:54.970 results, but personal growth, it isn't a straight 00:20:54.970 --> 00:20:57.569 line on a graph. It's a journey. It's a winding 00:20:57.569 --> 00:20:59.769 mountain path where you might lose sight of the 00:20:59.769 --> 00:21:02.329 peak for a while. Or if we use a different metaphor, 00:21:02.529 --> 00:21:04.430 think of your growth as a massive construction 00:21:04.430 --> 00:21:07.430 project. Some days are spent digging deep into 00:21:07.430 --> 00:21:10.039 the dirt to lay a foundation. It might not look 00:21:10.039 --> 00:21:12.079 like much is happening from the outside, but 00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:14.200 that foundation is what allows the skyscraper 00:21:14.200 --> 00:21:16.599 to eventually stand tall. Don't judge your process 00:21:16.599 --> 00:21:19.119 by the speed of others. Their construction site 00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:21.559 has a different blueprint than yours. Instead, 00:21:21.779 --> 00:21:24.000 focus on the small, consistent steps you take 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:26.519 every day to build the life you imagine. Be kind 00:21:26.519 --> 00:21:28.700 to yourself when the weather gets rough and celebrate 00:21:28.700 --> 00:21:30.500 those tiny, quiet shifts in your perspective. 00:21:30.779 --> 00:21:32.779 The metaphor for your growth is yours alone to 00:21:32.779 --> 00:21:36.049 write. You are the architect. Welcome back. We've 00:21:36.049 --> 00:21:38.069 spent the first half of the show looking at how 00:21:38.069 --> 00:21:40.509 metaphors work in the classroom and in the news. 00:21:40.630 --> 00:21:43.230 For this final segment, Josiah and Proud have 00:21:43.230 --> 00:21:45.990 put together a metaphor speed round. They've 00:21:45.990 --> 00:21:48.230 gathered some of the most famous metaphors we 00:21:48.230 --> 00:21:51.089 use in daily life, and they want to get our guests, 00:21:51.289 --> 00:21:54.349 Mr. Ben and Mr. Jason, to take on what they actually 00:21:54.349 --> 00:21:57.690 reveal about our culture. Josiah, kick us off. 00:21:58.009 --> 00:22:00.650 We use metaphors so often that we often forget 00:22:00.650 --> 00:22:03.359 how weird they actually are. We'd love to hear 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:05.740 your thoughts about why humans rely so heavily 00:22:05.740 --> 00:22:07.740 on metaphors rather than just saying what they 00:22:07.740 --> 00:22:11.319 mean. I think really it boils down to this idea 00:22:11.319 --> 00:22:14.099 that we've been sharing in our last segment that 00:22:14.099 --> 00:22:17.000 metaphors convey meaning better than extended 00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:20.579 explanations do. I don't think this means there's 00:22:20.579 --> 00:22:23.119 no space for those extended explanations, but 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:26.700 you'll notice in like most academic or research 00:22:26.700 --> 00:22:28.579 papers, for example, you don't see a whole lot 00:22:28.579 --> 00:22:30.359 of metaphors because that's not what they're 00:22:30.359 --> 00:22:33.039 there for. But often metaphors fill the gap and 00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:35.579 they give you a beautiful, multifaceted, thought 00:22:35.579 --> 00:22:40.000 -provoking way to share an idea. Yeah, let me 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:43.630 add that. whole to that concept of sharing an 00:22:43.630 --> 00:22:46.869 idea so metaphors work because they connect new 00:22:46.869 --> 00:22:50.410 information to old information okay so when we 00:22:50.410 --> 00:22:52.750 learn something brand new that sound like mansplaining 00:22:52.750 --> 00:22:55.829 sorry about that so yeah metaphors connect uh 00:22:55.829 --> 00:22:58.809 new information back to old information when 00:22:58.809 --> 00:23:00.750 we learn something brand new our brains don't 00:23:00.750 --> 00:23:03.450 always know where to put it And I feel like this 00:23:03.450 --> 00:23:06.089 all the time. By linking a new idea to something 00:23:06.089 --> 00:23:07.849 we already understand, we make that learning 00:23:07.849 --> 00:23:10.670 process much faster. So this makes information 00:23:10.670 --> 00:23:13.430 easier to remember because the brain doesn't 00:23:13.430 --> 00:23:16.130 have to work as hard to make sense of it. You 00:23:16.130 --> 00:23:18.630 can call a metaphor a linker. Is that a real 00:23:18.630 --> 00:23:23.210 word? I'm not sure, but it is now. Okay. So building 00:23:23.210 --> 00:23:26.130 on that, metaphors often reflect what a society 00:23:26.130 --> 00:23:28.589 values. Do you think our metaphors are changing 00:23:28.589 --> 00:23:31.329 as we spend more time online and less time offline? 00:23:32.140 --> 00:23:35.400 I would say yes, definitely. Being kind of on 00:23:35.400 --> 00:23:40.160 the older area of this continuum of age in this 00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:42.640 room, our language is always changing to match 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:45.400 the tools we use every day. In the past, people 00:23:45.400 --> 00:23:48.339 used metaphors about farming or nature because 00:23:48.339 --> 00:23:50.640 that's what they saw or that's what they did 00:23:50.640 --> 00:23:53.660 on a daily basis. I feel like today we spend 00:23:53.660 --> 00:23:56.980 so much time on devices that we naturally use 00:23:56.980 --> 00:24:00.960 terms to describe our lives. We talk about rebooting 00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:04.680 our energy or downloading information. This happens 00:24:04.680 --> 00:24:06.819 because our brains look for the quickest way 00:24:06.819 --> 00:24:09.799 to explain a feeling. And right now, the digital 00:24:09.799 --> 00:24:12.059 world is our most common point of reference. 00:24:12.359 --> 00:24:15.019 What do you think, Mr. Ben? Yeah, and I think 00:24:15.019 --> 00:24:17.940 that the digital world is definitely impacting 00:24:17.940 --> 00:24:21.640 how things are coming forth in metaphors. I mean, 00:24:21.640 --> 00:24:23.920 you just look at Gen Z slang, and that's like 00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:29.269 90 % metaphors. I'm locked in cooking. No cap. 00:24:29.589 --> 00:24:31.769 Whatever you want to come up with. It's not 100 00:24:31.769 --> 00:24:34.990 % there, but it is for sure. It's still a dominant 00:24:34.990 --> 00:24:36.690 part of culture. In fact, I would argue that 00:24:36.690 --> 00:24:39.589 a lot of slang tends towards these kinds of metaphors 00:24:39.589 --> 00:24:42.849 because they're new, they're unexpected, and 00:24:42.849 --> 00:24:44.170 they're something that everybody can pick up 00:24:44.170 --> 00:24:47.089 really quickly. So, yeah, it's coming. It's happening. 00:24:47.190 --> 00:24:50.730 And I do think that literature in social media 00:24:50.730 --> 00:24:53.329 online space differs from that you find in literature. 00:24:53.569 --> 00:24:55.990 It's usually a little less serious. But it does... 00:24:56.319 --> 00:24:58.680 indicate the times and the cultures and the age 00:24:58.680 --> 00:25:01.279 groups so all right next we're going to test 00:25:01.279 --> 00:25:03.720 your metaphor interpretation skills we're going 00:25:03.720 --> 00:25:07.559 to see if mr ben is a real la teacher so mr jason 00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:09.279 we'll start with you and give him a little bit 00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:12.519 of time what does the metaphor they're a walking 00:25:12.519 --> 00:25:15.900 disaster actually imply about a person i hope 00:25:15.900 --> 00:25:18.839 no one has said this about me but i think this 00:25:18.839 --> 00:25:22.400 metaphor they're a walking disaster It gives 00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:24.579 me a picture of a person who struggles with just 00:25:24.579 --> 00:25:27.559 about everything and leaves a literal pile of 00:25:27.559 --> 00:25:29.799 destruction everywhere they go. It's definitely 00:25:29.799 --> 00:25:32.720 not a compliment. So unless you need that person 00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:35.160 to do something that's destructive that you don't 00:25:35.160 --> 00:25:37.619 want to do, then I don't feel like it's a great 00:25:37.619 --> 00:25:40.619 compliment. This next one is for Mr. Ben. So 00:25:40.619 --> 00:25:42.500 I've always been curious about this one because 00:25:42.500 --> 00:25:44.819 we hear it sometimes in business type situations. 00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:47.319 Time is money. What do you think about this? 00:25:48.569 --> 00:25:53.130 What do I think? I think that it equates time 00:25:53.130 --> 00:25:55.170 to a commodity. So if you think about money, 00:25:55.289 --> 00:25:57.549 it's valuable, it's limited. Time is valuable 00:25:57.549 --> 00:26:00.329 and limited. And so by comparing the two to each 00:26:00.329 --> 00:26:03.250 other, you talk about how time is precious and 00:26:03.250 --> 00:26:06.250 matters how you spend it. All right, one for 00:26:06.250 --> 00:26:08.650 both of you. What do you guys think about Love 00:26:08.650 --> 00:26:14.380 is a Battlefield? Basically, it means I think 00:26:14.380 --> 00:26:18.539 that a relationship is defined by conflict. If 00:26:18.539 --> 00:26:21.440 you think about a battlefield, there's usually 00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:24.180 conflict that's happening somewhere on that battlefield. 00:26:24.480 --> 00:26:26.579 And there's lots of stuff on that battlefield 00:26:26.579 --> 00:26:30.579 that could be potentially harmful to either party, 00:26:30.660 --> 00:26:34.619 like hidden mines, artillery pieces in different 00:26:34.619 --> 00:26:37.980 areas. The infantry running. I mean, there's 00:26:37.980 --> 00:26:41.359 lots of like word pictures you get. But I think 00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:43.420 this metaphor suggests that the people in that 00:26:43.420 --> 00:26:46.140 relationship are constantly struggling for control 00:26:46.140 --> 00:26:49.059 or dealing with a lot of like drama, possibly. 00:26:49.339 --> 00:26:52.099 Instead of the relationship being a safe place, 00:26:52.380 --> 00:26:54.960 which it should be, the metaphor makes me think 00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:58.279 that I need to avoid the landmines that are all 00:26:58.279 --> 00:27:00.480 over the battlefield because I don't want to 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:03.089 get hurt. Right. So this is definitely not the 00:27:03.089 --> 00:27:05.670 type of relationship I feel like we should be 00:27:05.670 --> 00:27:08.490 in necessarily. But I don't want to mansplain 00:27:08.490 --> 00:27:12.509 here as well. So I'll leave it at that. All right. 00:27:12.509 --> 00:27:14.930 I like that. I came away with that conclusion 00:27:14.930 --> 00:27:16.789 as well, but I actually saw something positive 00:27:16.789 --> 00:27:20.390 to it. So I saw two sides. One side is kind of 00:27:20.390 --> 00:27:22.769 what Mr. Jason was saying. It's scary. It's dangerous. 00:27:22.950 --> 00:27:26.109 You can die in it. It's kind of the harrowing 00:27:26.109 --> 00:27:29.789 side of love. But then I also think of a battlefield 00:27:29.789 --> 00:27:34.769 as. places where bravery and courage and hope 00:27:34.769 --> 00:27:36.769 can really come forward because they're dark, 00:27:36.809 --> 00:27:41.210 scary places. So I see also it potentially being 00:27:41.210 --> 00:27:43.829 used as like a resilient side of love. So for 00:27:43.829 --> 00:27:46.049 me, it's maybe one of those that's double -sided. 00:27:46.049 --> 00:27:48.029 It depends on the context that you're using it 00:27:48.029 --> 00:27:52.970 in. So this next one is like some metaphors that 00:27:52.970 --> 00:27:55.990 I've never heard before is life is a sitcom. 00:27:56.089 --> 00:27:58.509 What does this metaphor mean? And you guys can 00:27:58.509 --> 00:28:01.650 both answer this question. I can start with this 00:28:01.650 --> 00:28:04.789 one. So when I heard this, this is not one that 00:28:04.789 --> 00:28:08.029 I've used normally or run across that much. But 00:28:08.029 --> 00:28:10.549 it brought to my mind the multiple meanings again. 00:28:10.589 --> 00:28:13.170 One is that, oh, you can find the funny side 00:28:13.170 --> 00:28:15.630 of life, the way things are random and kind of 00:28:15.630 --> 00:28:19.009 sweet, and generally they end happily. But then 00:28:19.009 --> 00:28:21.990 I was like, well, it also almost carries this 00:28:21.990 --> 00:28:24.490 sort of cynical sense to it, which is like, well, 00:28:24.529 --> 00:28:26.970 nothing has meaning. It's all a joke. There's 00:28:26.970 --> 00:28:29.450 no purpose, really. It's all a cycle on repeat. 00:28:30.620 --> 00:28:32.960 So, yeah, it's another one of those that's kind 00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:35.259 of dual sided, which again shows context matters 00:28:35.259 --> 00:28:39.619 with metaphors. I think this life is a sitcom. 00:28:39.799 --> 00:28:42.500 I think it could define your life as a series 00:28:42.500 --> 00:28:45.180 of short, entertaining episodes rather than kind 00:28:45.180 --> 00:28:48.839 of a long, serious, connected story. If you watch 00:28:48.839 --> 00:28:52.119 sitcoms or series, sometimes they don't connect 00:28:52.119 --> 00:28:55.859 you from one episode to another. It's some it's 00:28:55.859 --> 00:28:58.220 kind of like this 30 minute snapshot of these 00:28:58.220 --> 00:29:01.500 people's lives. And usually at the end of the 00:29:01.500 --> 00:29:04.240 30 minutes, there's a resolution or something 00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:06.740 that positive happens, even if there's drama 00:29:06.740 --> 00:29:11.500 inside. So, yeah, I think our lives could look 00:29:11.500 --> 00:29:13.900 like that at some points. But we're kind of missing 00:29:13.900 --> 00:29:16.700 out on that idea that our lives are connected 00:29:16.700 --> 00:29:19.839 and they're not. It's not this short little episode 00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:23.180 that everything is happy and ends in a happy 00:29:23.180 --> 00:29:26.039 way necessarily. But on the other hand, there 00:29:26.039 --> 00:29:28.400 are funny moments we need to laugh at and kind 00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:32.720 of embrace those and also just be okay with things 00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:35.640 not being resolved in a short amount of time. 00:29:35.740 --> 00:29:38.779 So hopefully that kind of maybe answers that 00:29:38.779 --> 00:29:42.819 metaphor. Here's one that students may feel during 00:29:42.819 --> 00:29:46.079 finals week. My memory is Swiss cheese. What 00:29:46.079 --> 00:29:48.259 does this mean? Because we know that people don't 00:29:48.259 --> 00:29:50.849 actually have cheese heads. Swiss cheese, I don't 00:29:50.849 --> 00:29:53.130 necessarily like Swiss cheese that much because 00:29:53.130 --> 00:29:55.690 I don't mind the holes in Swiss cheese, but I 00:29:55.690 --> 00:29:58.269 think it smells and it's pretty tangy in its 00:29:58.269 --> 00:30:00.910 taste. But when you think about Swiss cheese 00:30:00.910 --> 00:30:03.269 or you just look at Swiss cheese, it's got holes 00:30:03.269 --> 00:30:06.630 in it, right? So there's gaps or spaces. And 00:30:06.630 --> 00:30:09.470 I feel like this metaphor is just telling us 00:30:09.470 --> 00:30:11.849 you could prepare and try to memorize things 00:30:11.849 --> 00:30:14.869 as much as possible, but at some point it's full. 00:30:14.970 --> 00:30:17.650 Your brain is full and you're just going to have... 00:30:17.819 --> 00:30:19.339 holes. You're going to have places where you 00:30:19.339 --> 00:30:23.279 forget. And for students in finals, this is a 00:30:23.279 --> 00:30:25.660 long time ago for me, but I remember studying 00:30:25.660 --> 00:30:27.920 for tests and I would study hours and hours, 00:30:28.019 --> 00:30:30.920 but now I went to take a test or an exam and 00:30:30.920 --> 00:30:32.900 I, and I would be sitting there. I'm like, I 00:30:32.900 --> 00:30:35.460 know I studied this, but I cannot remember it. 00:30:35.559 --> 00:30:37.500 And you guys have probably been to that point. 00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:39.799 Right. And so, yeah, I feel like that metaphor 00:30:39.799 --> 00:30:42.980 kind of connects that and symbolizes that. So 00:30:42.980 --> 00:30:46.140 what do you think, Ben? Yeah, same. I didn't 00:30:46.140 --> 00:30:48.400 have anything to add. Swiss cheese has holes. 00:30:48.740 --> 00:30:51.259 Mind has holes. Memory has holes. End of story. 00:30:52.039 --> 00:30:54.579 So this one more thing we'd like to ask you both. 00:30:54.700 --> 00:30:56.579 We know that there's a difference between a metaphor 00:30:56.579 --> 00:30:58.960 and a simile. Could you describe what the difference 00:30:58.960 --> 00:31:01.980 is? And here's our example. My brother is a pig 00:31:01.980 --> 00:31:04.740 at the dinner table versus my brother eats like 00:31:04.740 --> 00:31:07.119 a pig at the dinner table. Do you actually think 00:31:07.119 --> 00:31:10.079 there's the same meaning or there's a difference 00:31:10.079 --> 00:31:12.019 between it? And what could the differences be? 00:31:12.640 --> 00:31:14.440 Well, only one of those could be taken literally, 00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:16.500 so that's one difference between the two of them. 00:31:16.539 --> 00:31:19.880 But let's assume that we do want to say that 00:31:19.880 --> 00:31:21.940 there's not an actual pig at the dinner table. 00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:24.880 Then this turns into just a different approach 00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:26.720 to comparison. I'll give a shout out to Miss 00:31:26.720 --> 00:31:30.359 Jess here. because she left a little bit of feedback 00:31:30.359 --> 00:31:34.400 on some of our content here. And she said that 00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:37.519 simile versus a metaphor is the idea of equating 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:40.160 versus comparing. So a metaphor equates two things 00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:43.220 together. They are the same or similar in some 00:31:43.220 --> 00:31:45.559 way. And a simile is just saying, it's like that. 00:31:45.579 --> 00:31:48.380 It's gentler. My brother's not an actual pig. 00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:51.380 He's like a pig. It softens the blow. Josiah's 00:31:51.380 --> 00:31:54.640 not a cactus. He's like a cactus. So it's that 00:31:54.640 --> 00:31:56.799 sort of idea of like, they're still describing, 00:31:56.900 --> 00:31:59.220 but it's just a slightly more roundabout way 00:31:59.220 --> 00:32:01.440 of doing it. But ultimately it gets the same 00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:04.680 meaning across. I guess it just kind of emphasizes 00:32:04.680 --> 00:32:08.059 the point that a metaphor has more power in it. 00:32:08.440 --> 00:32:12.960 And a simile is less powerful. So I don't necessarily, 00:32:13.559 --> 00:32:15.819 want to call my brother a pig, but sometimes 00:32:15.819 --> 00:32:19.000 he acts like a pig, right? And so there's a difference 00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:21.539 between that saying you are a pig versus, hey, 00:32:21.559 --> 00:32:24.299 stop acting like a pig at the dinner table. So 00:32:24.299 --> 00:32:26.859 anyways, that's kind of some of my thoughts about 00:32:26.859 --> 00:32:29.740 that. All right. Thank you for the clarification. 00:32:30.220 --> 00:32:32.319 Since we are now getting into some of the technical 00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:35.000 aspects of language and metaphors, would you 00:32:35.000 --> 00:32:37.160 mind sharing about the different types of metaphors 00:32:37.160 --> 00:32:39.740 and then giving an example for each type? Mr. 00:32:39.799 --> 00:32:42.140 Ben, could you go first? Sure, buckle in, because 00:32:42.140 --> 00:32:44.400 this is about to get exciting. The first type 00:32:44.400 --> 00:32:47.579 of metaphor is called a standard metaphor, and 00:32:47.579 --> 00:32:49.859 it makes a direct and bold comparison. For example, 00:32:50.059 --> 00:32:52.839 my brother is a pig. It's also another example, 00:32:52.980 --> 00:32:55.859 the classroom was a zoo. And these sorts of standard 00:32:55.859 --> 00:32:57.880 metaphors are the most direct types. They use 00:32:57.880 --> 00:33:02.319 a B is a structure, and it emphasizes that direct 00:33:02.319 --> 00:33:05.759 equation or comparison, like Mr. Jason was just 00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:08.500 saying. All right, another type of metaphor is 00:33:08.500 --> 00:33:11.809 the... implied metaphor. The implied metaphor 00:33:11.809 --> 00:33:14.369 implies something without saying it directly. 00:33:14.509 --> 00:33:17.109 For example, the rumor slithered through the 00:33:17.109 --> 00:33:19.970 hallways of the school. I like that one. Notice 00:33:19.970 --> 00:33:22.849 that we never actually mentioned a snake. We 00:33:22.849 --> 00:33:25.029 didn't say the rumors were like snakes. However, 00:33:25.109 --> 00:33:28.250 by choosing the verb slithered, we are forcing 00:33:28.250 --> 00:33:30.990 the listener's brain to associate the rumor with 00:33:30.990 --> 00:33:34.509 something sneaky, cold, and potentially venomous. 00:33:34.549 --> 00:33:37.740 The metaphor is hidden. in the action itself 00:33:37.740 --> 00:33:40.960 rather than being a direct label. Yeah. And you'll 00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:43.599 notice that when you read fiction, especially 00:33:43.599 --> 00:33:46.519 that authors love to use implied metaphors because 00:33:46.519 --> 00:33:50.160 it really like evokes that description that they're 00:33:50.160 --> 00:33:52.299 going for. So if you start paying attention, 00:33:52.299 --> 00:33:54.099 you'll see that all over the place in writing. 00:33:54.440 --> 00:33:56.539 Another type of metaphor that's found in literature 00:33:56.539 --> 00:34:00.319 as well as the extended metaphor. And it's often 00:34:00.319 --> 00:34:03.500 in story form, poems, songs, speeches. And here's 00:34:03.500 --> 00:34:06.619 just a brief example, a small paragraph. Education 00:34:06.619 --> 00:34:10.099 isn't a destination. It's the fuel in your gas 00:34:10.099 --> 00:34:12.260 tank. Some days you're cruising the highway. 00:34:12.340 --> 00:34:14.539 Other days you might get stuck in the mud. But 00:34:14.539 --> 00:34:16.679 as long as the engine is running, you'll keep 00:34:16.679 --> 00:34:19.480 moving toward that goal. So instead of a quick 00:34:19.480 --> 00:34:21.840 comparison, an extended metaphor stretches the 00:34:21.840 --> 00:34:24.579 image. Taking a trip in a car across several 00:34:24.579 --> 00:34:27.139 sentences to explain that learning can be a journey 00:34:27.139 --> 00:34:30.139 with ups and downs along the way. Another type 00:34:30.139 --> 00:34:33.320 is what is called a dead metaphor. These are 00:34:33.320 --> 00:34:36.380 so common that we almost forget that it's figurative 00:34:36.380 --> 00:34:39.400 speech. Here are some examples. Foot of the bed. 00:34:40.099 --> 00:34:44.059 Flood of tears. Hands of a clock. So regarding 00:34:44.059 --> 00:34:47.059 the last clock example, we don't think of a clock 00:34:47.059 --> 00:34:49.639 as a person with literal hands, but the metaphor 00:34:49.639 --> 00:34:52.280 has been used so many millions of times that 00:34:52.280 --> 00:34:55.199 it has become the literal name for the objects 00:34:55.199 --> 00:34:57.800 that move around the face of the clock. Notice 00:34:57.800 --> 00:35:00.980 the other dead metaphor I just used, face of 00:35:00.980 --> 00:35:03.860 the clock. That is super helpful and educational. 00:35:03.960 --> 00:35:06.360 Thank you. I'll never look at a traditional clock 00:35:06.360 --> 00:35:09.559 again the same way. So to end this final segment, 00:35:09.639 --> 00:35:12.059 we've created a top 10 list of somewhat common 00:35:12.059 --> 00:35:14.420 metaphors in the English language. We wanted 00:35:14.420 --> 00:35:16.719 to mix it up a bit. Some are serious, some are 00:35:16.719 --> 00:35:19.019 fun. So either way, do you mind reading off our 00:35:19.019 --> 00:35:22.000 top 10 list of interesting and comedy used metaphors? 00:35:22.059 --> 00:35:24.699 You can go first, Mr. Jason. First, we have you 00:35:24.699 --> 00:35:27.219 are my sunshine. This is usually said when someone 00:35:27.219 --> 00:35:30.349 brings you joy and warmth to your life. Next 00:35:30.349 --> 00:35:33.389 up we have He Has a Heart of Stone. Sort of the 00:35:33.389 --> 00:35:35.829 opposite of the first one. This one could mean 00:35:35.829 --> 00:35:38.230 that someone is unemotional or doesn't care. 00:35:38.869 --> 00:35:42.429 Next one is Cry Me a River of Tears. This simply 00:35:42.429 --> 00:35:45.570 means someone is crying a lot. And moving on 00:35:45.570 --> 00:35:47.570 from emotions, next we have something that is 00:35:47.570 --> 00:35:50.650 related to business. It is They Climb the Ladder 00:35:50.650 --> 00:35:53.860 of Success. And this simply means a person has 00:35:53.860 --> 00:35:55.559 advanced in their career a step at a time and 00:35:55.559 --> 00:35:57.619 is successful. And here's another one that is 00:35:57.619 --> 00:36:01.099 related to business and school. It is, they are 00:36:01.099 --> 00:36:03.719 the backbone of the team. Basically, this means 00:36:03.719 --> 00:36:05.780 that this person helps hold the team together. 00:36:05.880 --> 00:36:08.440 They stand out as being the leader or the glue 00:36:08.440 --> 00:36:11.840 that keeps them together. The next one, also 00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:15.239 related to school, knowledge is power. This simply 00:36:15.239 --> 00:36:17.059 means that learning and gaining knowledge about 00:36:17.059 --> 00:36:20.320 something provides you with strength. And next 00:36:20.320 --> 00:36:24.170 we have... They dropped the ball. This one simply 00:36:24.170 --> 00:36:26.269 means that a person made a mistake, failed, or 00:36:26.269 --> 00:36:29.010 didn't do what they were supposed to do. Maybe 00:36:29.010 --> 00:36:31.929 they were a walking disaster. Next up we have 00:36:31.929 --> 00:36:34.670 we're drowning in information. This simply means 00:36:34.670 --> 00:36:37.510 that we have way too much info, especially in 00:36:37.510 --> 00:36:40.429 this digital age. And this next one is fun. It 00:36:40.429 --> 00:36:43.869 is they are two peas in a pod. This means that 00:36:43.869 --> 00:36:45.889 the two people who are being referred to are 00:36:45.889 --> 00:36:48.230 very similar, maybe in their looks, actions, 00:36:48.349 --> 00:36:51.679 and behaviors. And last but not least, books 00:36:51.679 --> 00:36:55.119 are keys. Books and their stories can unlock 00:36:55.119 --> 00:36:57.980 new knowledge and take you into new worlds, along 00:36:57.980 --> 00:37:00.519 with unlocking your own powers of empathy and 00:37:00.519 --> 00:37:03.159 understanding. Thank you for the powerful list 00:37:03.159 --> 00:37:06.000 of metaphors. It's amazing how a few simple words 00:37:06.000 --> 00:37:08.440 can rearrange the mind, just like our quote of 00:37:08.440 --> 00:37:11.260 the day suggested. Mr. Ben and Mr. Jason, thank 00:37:11.260 --> 00:37:13.119 you for joining and helping guide us through 00:37:13.119 --> 00:37:25.570 this fun topic. What a powerful way to end books 00:37:25.570 --> 00:37:28.769 are keys. It's a reminder that language doesn't 00:37:28.769 --> 00:37:32.429 just describe our world it unlocks it Today, 00:37:32.530 --> 00:37:35.010 we've learned that whether we are climbing a 00:37:35.010 --> 00:37:37.969 ladder or feeling like sunshine, the metaphors 00:37:37.969 --> 00:37:40.650 we choose dictate how we handle our challenges 00:37:40.650 --> 00:37:43.610 and celebrate our wins. As Proud shared earlier, 00:37:43.869 --> 00:37:47.550 these words truly do rearrange the way our minds 00:37:47.550 --> 00:37:50.170 see the world. And we hope this episode helps 00:37:50.170 --> 00:37:53.110 you find the right keys for your own journey 00:37:53.110 --> 00:37:55.829 this week. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast, 00:37:56.250 --> 00:37:59.309 leave us a review, and be sure to tune in next 00:37:59.309 --> 00:38:01.510 time for more interesting topics and discussions. 00:38:15.680 --> 00:38:20.159 And we are signing off until next time. We are 00:38:20.159 --> 00:38:23.260 Students Incorporated, because your voice matters.