"We just bought a house next door to my parents. It's nice because they can come over and look after our baby when we want to go out, but at the same time we don't have much privacy from them. They often come by and nag us."
"Yes, it sounds like a double-edged sword."
A double-edged sword is a sword whose blade with both sharpened edges like in this picture:
You'll notice how it is different from the conventional Japanese katana, which only has a single sharpened edge. The double-edged sword can cut to the left and cut to the right.
In modern times, it is more often a metaphor for a thing or situation that can be equally, sometimes simultaneously beneficial and detrimental.
A good example is the cell phone. With it, you can reach people anywhere, anytime, with the touch of a button. But at the same time anyone can just as easily reach you anywhere, anytime.
This sword can cut your enemies but it can cut you, as well.
What is another example? Leave a comment.
No comments:
Post a Comment