▲ 218 ▼ midas touch is a greek myth warning people about greed, yet we use it to describe someone who succeeds at what they do. (lemmy.world) submitted 6 days ago by nialv7@lemmy.world to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world 35 comments fedilink hide all child comments like we collectively learned the wrong lesson from it.
[–] velma@sh.itjust.works [S] 8 points 6 days ago (2 children) I’ve never seen it used to describe being good at what they do. Can you provide an example? permalink fedilink source hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] snooggums@piefed.world [S] 9 points 6 days ago (2 children) Here is an example of someone pointing out that 'golden touch' based on Midas is misused in common usage today. Not sure if it is commonly used much anymore, but I remember it being very common in the 80s and 90s to describe someone who was successful at lots of different businesses. https://www.languagehumanities.org/what-does-it-mean-to-have-a-golden-touch.htm permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Hadriscus@jlai.lu [S] 4 points 6 days ago Cheers, thanks for providing an example permalink fedilink source parent [–] velma@sh.itjust.works [S] 3 points 6 days ago Huh. Well TIL people did misuse it. I've never seen it misused myself which is why I asked, thanks! permalink fedilink source parent [–] Alpacalypse@crazypeople.online [S] 2 points 6 days ago (1 child) "Wow! They're pioneer of industry! They must have the Midas touch." permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] velma@sh.itjust.works [S] 1 point 6 days ago (1 child) Oh sorry, I understood what you meant. Is there an example of this actually being used this way by a company or something? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] lonefighter@sh.itjust.works [S] 3 points 6 days ago The Midas automotive repair company had (has) the slogan "Trust the Midas touch" which definitely is a play on words using the myth. There used to be commercials where they would sing it at the end when I was a kid. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] snooggums@piefed.world [S] 9 points 6 days ago (2 children) Here is an example of someone pointing out that 'golden touch' based on Midas is misused in common usage today. Not sure if it is commonly used much anymore, but I remember it being very common in the 80s and 90s to describe someone who was successful at lots of different businesses. https://www.languagehumanities.org/what-does-it-mean-to-have-a-golden-touch.htm permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Hadriscus@jlai.lu [S] 4 points 6 days ago Cheers, thanks for providing an example permalink fedilink source parent [–] velma@sh.itjust.works [S] 3 points 6 days ago Huh. Well TIL people did misuse it. I've never seen it misused myself which is why I asked, thanks! permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Hadriscus@jlai.lu [S] 4 points 6 days ago Cheers, thanks for providing an example permalink fedilink source parent
[–] velma@sh.itjust.works [S] 3 points 6 days ago Huh. Well TIL people did misuse it. I've never seen it misused myself which is why I asked, thanks! permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Alpacalypse@crazypeople.online [S] 2 points 6 days ago (1 child) "Wow! They're pioneer of industry! They must have the Midas touch." permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] velma@sh.itjust.works [S] 1 point 6 days ago (1 child) Oh sorry, I understood what you meant. Is there an example of this actually being used this way by a company or something? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] lonefighter@sh.itjust.works [S] 3 points 6 days ago The Midas automotive repair company had (has) the slogan "Trust the Midas touch" which definitely is a play on words using the myth. There used to be commercials where they would sing it at the end when I was a kid. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] velma@sh.itjust.works [S] 1 point 6 days ago (1 child) Oh sorry, I understood what you meant. Is there an example of this actually being used this way by a company or something? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] lonefighter@sh.itjust.works [S] 3 points 6 days ago The Midas automotive repair company had (has) the slogan "Trust the Midas touch" which definitely is a play on words using the myth. There used to be commercials where they would sing it at the end when I was a kid. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] lonefighter@sh.itjust.works [S] 3 points 6 days ago The Midas automotive repair company had (has) the slogan "Trust the Midas touch" which definitely is a play on words using the myth. There used to be commercials where they would sing it at the end when I was a kid. permalink fedilink source parent