# The "ice cream" metaphor - provenance? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2022, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495 "2022-08-11T15:32:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Orr\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@Orr\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orr_G)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/21 "2022-08-12T16:55:04Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > But can you give us a concrete example of HOW this metaphor was used in conversation? It would help immensely. Man, if you knew what the metaphor was, and how it was presented, you would understand why this question is so hilariously frustrating. I can only reiterate that it was a subtle, hard to explain thing that, unless you’ve encountered it yourself, will likely not make much sense. I fear any attempt on my part to be more descriptive would wind up being like a red herring; it wouldn’t help in the slightest on the one hand, and on the other, might prevent some other poster who _does_ recognize the metaphor from contributing because my clumsy explanation made it seem like I was referencing something else entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/22 "2022-08-12T17:18:01Z")
The OP didn’t seem familiar to me, so I checked their profile to see if something jogged my memory. And found this: > [@It's not just dark...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-not-just-dark/691827/3): > > All right, so this thread was a bust. Too bad. I recognize my weaknesses in creating things that attract the interest of fellow 'Dopers, but I lack the experience in my writing to correct those weaknesses. And from that same thread: > [@It's not just dark...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-not-just-dark/691827/5): > > If I were a better 'Doper, I’d have made this thread more interesting somehow. Because that’s just the type of scenario I’d hope the 'Dope could come up with, and I think that a bunch of those would be really fucking entertaining and, you know, all intellectual and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/23 "2022-08-12T18:24:22Z")
> [@Orr\_G](#): > > it reminds me of the concept of “being on fire” - when I first encountered _that_ metaphor I was confused, but it was quickly explained that it refers to those people who have newly converted (say, to evangelical Christianity) and are therefore overzealous, or “hot-headed”, and act as if someone “lit a fire under them” when it comes to promoting their new-found faith. I’m familiar with the phrase ‘On fire for The Lord’ and none of that is what it means. ---
**Author:** ![Orr\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@Orr\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orr_G)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/24 "2022-08-12T18:51:37Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > I’m familiar with the phrase ‘On fire for The Lord’ and none of that is what it means. > **[What is an “on-fire” Christian? | GotQuestions.org](https://www.gotquestions.org/on-fire-Christian.html)** > > What is an “on-fire” Christian? What does it mean to be “on-fire” for Christ? To be “on fire” is to be eager, zealous, or “burning” with enthusiasm. Sometimes we speak of “lighting a fire under” someone… First google result. YMMV, as so often happens with metaphors. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/25 "2022-08-12T18:59:21Z")
> [@Orr\_G](#): > > YMMV, No, my mileage is exactly what your cite says, the phrase has only positive connotations. Unlike “overzealous” and ““hot-headed””. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/26 "2022-08-12T19:02:31Z")
If you have ice cream, I will give it to you. If you have no ice cream, I will take it away from you. An ice cream kōan ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/27 "2022-08-12T19:02:50Z")
From [the website of the British charity Go Beyond](https://www.gobeyond.org.uk/introducing-the-ice-cream-moment/), which has a lot in common with the American Make-A-Wish Foundation: > **What’s your ice cream moment? We all have one!** > > Most of us are lucky enough to remember our childhood ‘ice cream moments’ – a term we’ve coined to describe those treasured memories of a moment of pure holiday joy! Whether it was eating an ice cream at the seaside, playing board games with family members on holiday, splashing in rivers in the countryside or feeling the sand between our toes – we all have fond childhood memories of summer holidays. NOTE: In context, the reference to “holiday joy” and “holidays” here should be understood as British usages of the terms, where UK “holiday” - US “vacation”. As opposed to special memories about Christmas, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/28 "2022-08-12T19:07:44Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > From [the website of the British charity Go Beyond](https://www.gobeyond.org.uk/introducing-the-ice-cream-moment/), which has a lot in common with the American Make-A-Wish Foundation: That’s interesting, that’s really the first solid hit and it is UK-based but to this resident at least it is still somewhat elusive. Had I read that article cold I’d still be thinking “yes that makes sense but they speak like it is a known thing and I’m not sure” Mind you I’m behind the curve on so many pop culture references that I’m not a reliable reference point. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/29 "2022-08-12T19:11:19Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > No, my mileage is exactly what your cite says, the phrase has only positive connotations. Unlike “overzealous” and ““hot-headed””. Not sure where the OP is from but certainly in this part of the world pretty much anything that refers to evangelical zeal would be seen as somewhat negative so the phrase could be very dependent on local interpretation. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/30 "2022-08-12T19:13:47Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > but certainly in this part of the world pretty much anything that refers to evangelical zeal would be seen as somewhat negative By evangelical Christians??? ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/31 "2022-08-12T19:14:28Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > By evangelical Christians??? well no, but then we have very, very few of them (I don’t think I’ve ever met one) ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/32 "2022-08-12T19:17:54Z")
I’ve never heard the phrase ‘On fire for The Lord’ uttered by anyone other than evangelical Christians, both American and English. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/33 "2022-08-12T19:20:58Z")
I’ve never heard it at all, but I’m merely observing that if it were uttered in the UK it would overwhelmingly be seen in an negative light. Looking back at the OP’s response they say “twin cities” is that a region that would be familiar with the phrase in a positive sense? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/34 "2022-08-12T19:26:52Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Looking back at the OP’s response they say “twin cities” is that a region that would be familiar with the phrase in a positive sense? Yes, someone from around Minneapolis or St. Paul USA that was familiar with evangelical Christianity would probably know the phrase and it’s entirely positive meaning. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/35 "2022-08-12T19:28:02Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Had I read that article cold I’d still be thinking “yes that makes sense but they speak like it is a known thing and I’m not sure” The writer of the Go Beyond page cops to coining the metaphor. I’d guess that it’s just kind of an idiosyncratic thing that ended up on the Internet (see above), where _a few_ people saw it and adopted it (emphasis on “few”). At the same time, while some people have thus been exposed to the metaphor … it’s far, far, far from a viral “_everyone’s heard it!_” thing at this point in time. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/36 "2022-08-12T19:31:10Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Yes, someone from around Minneapolis or St. Paul USA that was familiar with evangelical Christianity would probably know the phrase and it’s entirely positive meaning. I have to say I find it a little unsettling but then I’m just not ever exposed to that level of overt religiosity. Whenever I’m in the states I’ll often have a quick blast of the god channels just for the sheer wackiness of it. They are so alien as to be fascinating and horrific at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/37 "2022-08-12T19:33:47Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I’m just not ever exposed to that level of overt religiosity. Since I am exposed to that level of overt religiosity maybe you’d like to stop telling me that what I know from actually being exposed to it is wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Orr\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@Orr\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orr_G)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/38 "2022-08-12T19:39:34Z")
So, you’re saying that “hot-headed” is not apropos, here? ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/39 "2022-08-12T19:39:48Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Since I am exposed to that level of overt religiosity maybe you’d like to stop telling me that what I know from actually being exposed to it is wrong? I clearly didn’t say nor imply you were wrong. On the contrary, you have knowledge that I do not. I asked whether the twin cities is an area of the USA that would be familiar with the evangelical phrase in question. I do not know the evangelical demographics of the USA, I do know it isn’t a homegenous mass, not everywhere is the same and perhaps the OP occupies a part of it that would _not_ be familiar with it. That would explain their interpretation. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495/40 "2022-08-12T19:44:30Z")
> [@Orr\_G](#): > > So, you’re saying that “hot-headed” is not apropos, here? Apropos only in contrast with being a lukewarm Christian. (Which is, to them, the worst kind of Christian.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ice-cream-metaphor-provenance/969495.md?page=3)