Oh, how we love, love, love good metaphors right here at Nonprofit Advertising and marketing Information! A great metaphor is an excellent approach to join a brand new idea to one thing that individuals are already acquainted with, making it that a lot simpler to soak up the brand new concept. The fitting metaphor may be terribly useful in speaking a message.
We love them a lot, we wrote an e-book about metaphors nonprofits can use.
However, of course, not all metaphors are an excellent match to your work. Many come from darkish and oppressive durations in our historical past, particularly these which might be anti-Black at their core.
You will have seen, for instance, the information that Twitter and different tech firms will cease utilizing phrases like
- Blacklist for malicious web sites and whitelist for secure emails. Phrases like Exclude/Embrace or Deny/Permit will probably be used as an alternative.
- Black Hat for malicious hackers and White Hat for good builders hacking to make software program higher. Utilizing Moral/Unethical is a more sensible choice on this case.
- Grasp for a primary machine and Slave for machines managed by the primary machine. Higher substitutions embody Chief/Follower, Energetic/Standby, or Major/Secondary relying on the context.
Whereas these are largely tech phrases, it’s value fascinated with the terminology you employ in your individual skilled area. Are there phrases the place Black and White aren’t merely colours, however convey far more than colour by way of their metaphorical meanings? If that’s the case, it’s essential cease utilizing them.
It’s additionally value Googling the origin of phrases and metaphors you employ incessantly. For instance, I checked on the time period”Cake Stroll” as I coordinate one at our native farmers market as a fall fundraiser. It’s additionally a staple of faculty fundraisers and carnivals. I used to be additionally curious why the phrase “cakewalk” means one thing simple.
And, certain sufficient . . .
“The cakewalk was a pre-Civil Battle dance initially carried out by slaves on plantation grounds. The uniquely American dance was first often known as the “prize stroll”; the prize was an elaborately embellished cake. Therefore, “prize stroll” is the unique supply for the phrases “takes the cake” and “cakewalk.”
The Extraordinary Story Of Why A ‘Cakewalk’ Wasn’t All the time Simple
So ought to I name the fundraiser one thing else? I’m critically contemplating it, although what we do at present, largely with children, is a really totally different exercise than the origin story.
If you already know of different metaphors based mostly on racial stereotypes or with oppressive histories which might be incessantly used within the nonprofit sector, tell us. We might replace the Metaphors e-book this 12 months. We have already got a bit on worn-out metaphors (comparable to constructing bridges and serving to fingers). We might add a brand new part to incorporate examples with racist origins too.
