Take for example sayings like “my cross to bear” and “good Samaritan”. Those are both from the bible, but they’re oblique references to saying that require a LOT of explanation themselves, but they’re so ingrained you can just reference the full saying to get the message across.
If I were to say, reference “one thing which never dies”, pretty much everyone would be guessing at the meaning. Basically nobody knows it’s a reference to a saying about the reputation people leave behind after death, based on the Norse Edda’s.
The lesson seems to be that how people know you is the most important thing in life, beyond family and your life. And that explanation doesn’t cover it, because none of us have the correct cultural background to interpret it. (If you happen to be a scholar, I’ll happily be corrected).
Take for example sayings like “my cross to bear” and “good Samaritan”. Those are both from the bible, but they’re oblique references to saying that require a LOT of explanation themselves, but they’re so ingrained you can just reference the full saying to get the message across.
If I were to say, reference “one thing which never dies”, pretty much everyone would be guessing at the meaning. Basically nobody knows it’s a reference to a saying about the reputation people leave behind after death, based on the Norse Edda’s.
The lesson seems to be that how people know you is the most important thing in life, beyond family and your life. And that explanation doesn’t cover it, because none of us have the correct cultural background to interpret it. (If you happen to be a scholar, I’ll happily be corrected).