Seeing eye to eye. Being on the same page. On the same wavelength. These phrases all mean the same thing, but if you take the phrases literally, they’re all very different. This sort of linguistic trick happens every now and then, where two phrases (or words) come to be synonymous by way of a secondary meaning for both terms.
I’m partial to “picking up what you’re putting down.” I have no idea where it comes from apart from I had a friend whose dad said it all the time when we were teenagers.
In the late '70s, Martin Mull wrote a song that implored the listener do what sounded like two different things, but apparently, in the land of disco, they meant exactly the same thing! You see, in disco, to get down (boogie, I guess), you had to get up (off your fanny)! But, don't take my palabra for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kaLaGHxrPc And, whatever you do, Andrew, get down (but, get up first, or you may pull something)!🕺
There have always been these kind of disagreements, but in previous times, they took place behind closed doors among small groups. Modern technology allows people who had previously been shut out to participate in the dispute, however uniformed their positions are. and this is one of the main ways the world has changed.
The idea of people "seeing eye to eye" and being "on the same page" in most sectors of life are far less true now than they once were, if they ever were.
Seems to me that “on the same page” has taken a passive aggressive tone in the last few years. I’ve increasingly noticed people say “let’s get on the same page” when they mean “F you, you’re wrong, we are going to argue until you see it my way.”
Or maybe that’s just another casualty of how people speak to each other these days!
I’m partial to “picking up what you’re putting down.” I have no idea where it comes from apart from I had a friend whose dad said it all the time when we were teenagers.
In the late '70s, Martin Mull wrote a song that implored the listener do what sounded like two different things, but apparently, in the land of disco, they meant exactly the same thing! You see, in disco, to get down (boogie, I guess), you had to get up (off your fanny)! But, don't take my palabra for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kaLaGHxrPc And, whatever you do, Andrew, get down (but, get up first, or you may pull something)!🕺
Given the... uh, particular theme... of some of your articles, I'm surprised you didn't mention "smelling what you're stepping in."
There have always been these kind of disagreements, but in previous times, they took place behind closed doors among small groups. Modern technology allows people who had previously been shut out to participate in the dispute, however uniformed their positions are. and this is one of the main ways the world has changed.
The idea of people "seeing eye to eye" and being "on the same page" in most sectors of life are far less true now than they once were, if they ever were.
Oh there’s “singing from the same song sheet” too!
Seems to me that “on the same page” has taken a passive aggressive tone in the last few years. I’ve increasingly noticed people say “let’s get on the same page” when they mean “F you, you’re wrong, we are going to argue until you see it my way.”
Or maybe that’s just another casualty of how people speak to each other these days!