# Frog on the stove syndrome **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 22, 1999, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frog-on-the-stove-syndrome/4133 "1999-10-22T18:02:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frog-on-the-stove-syndrome/4133/1 "1999-10-22T18:02:00Z")
In reading the Capalert review of Blue Streak ( [http://www.capalert.com/capreports/bluestreak.htm](http://www.capalert.com/capreports/bluestreak.htm) ), the author mentions that movies like this lower “His Expectations of us- the frog on the stove syndrome”. What is this? Search engines only yield a 2nd amendment rant page. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frog-on-the-stove-syndrome/4133/2 "1999-10-22T18:34:00Z")
It’s a metaphor for incrementalism. The idea is: if you increase the heat very slowly, the frog will be cooked before he realizes it’s getting hot. However, if you immediately throw him into some hot water, he’ll jump out. In politics, it’s often used as a metaphor to show creeping government intrusion. ---
**Author:** ![Akatsukami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea666f/32.png) [@Akatsukami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akatsukami)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frog-on-the-stove-syndrome/4133/3 "1999-10-22T18:38:00Z")
I believe that the author is referring to the hypothesis that a frog thrown into hot water will immediately jump out again, whilst a frog placed in cold water, which is then placed on the stove and gradually heated, will sit quietly and let itself be boiled alive (_i.e._, we react to sudden changes, but get used to gradual ones). Now, mind you, I haven’t boiled any frogs lately, so I can’t offer any information on how they really _do_ behave in these situations. I only note that most people _cite_ this story as if it were true, or at least believed. * * * “Kings die, and leave their crowns to their sons. Shmuel HaKatan took all the treasures in the world, and went away.” ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frog-on-the-stove-syndrome/4133/4 "1999-10-22T18:53:00Z")
Cooking a frog alive? That’s awful! I’m going to e-mail CAPALERT to ask that they clean up their metaphors before my children (which I don’t have yet because I don’t want to raise them in such an awful world) are able to read them. 🙂 Thanks- That explanation seems to fit the bill. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frog-on-the-stove-syndrome/4133/5 "1999-10-22T18:56:00Z")
That can’t be true. I realize that frogs are cold-blooded, and their temperature will rise along with the water temperature, but eventually the frong will reach a threshold that causes it to go “Ouch,” and jump. Wouldn’t it? * * * Yer pal, Satan ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frog-on-the-stove-syndrome/4133/6 "1999-10-22T19:20:00Z")
Omigod–a frog in the microwave? Tell me it’s not true . . sob! ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frog-on-the-stove-syndrome/4133/7 "1999-10-22T19:38:00Z")
Come on Pinky, we have an experiment to do… ---
**Author:** ![Dirty\_Devil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Dirty\_Devil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dirty_Devil)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frog-on-the-stove-syndrome/4133/8 "1999-10-22T21:00:00Z")
Hey Flora, it’s ok. The mama frog had an epileptic seizure and didn’t know what she was doing. So all’s forgiven. Anyway, we did make good use of its little cooked froggy legs. Yummmmm. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frog-on-the-stove-syndrome/4133/9 "1999-10-22T23:26:00Z")
Ack! Dirty Devil, I thought it was CHICKEN!! ---
**Author:** ![Momotaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Momotaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Momotaro)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frog-on-the-stove-syndrome/4133/10 "1999-10-22T23:55:00Z")
Can I keep the meat? I’ll eat frog legs.