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TIL “Pull Yourself Up By Your Bootstraps” was originally meant sarcastically, or to suggest an impossible accomplishment, because it is impossible for someone to pull themselves up by their bootstraps(media.kbin.social)

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minnieo@kbin.social
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ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works
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Isn’t that how it’s used now? (Although I wouldn’t say “sarcastically” but rather “metaphorically”.) I would define it as referring to a task that is very difficult due to a lack of outside support.

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minnieo@kbin.socialOP
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nowadays i hear it exclusively used to tell someone to ‘toughen up’

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ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works
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I figured that the people saying it meant “you need to find the strength to do this yourself since no one is going to help you”.

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snooggums@kbin.social
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“You need to find the strength to do the impossible because we won’t spend money on minorities and poor people” is how it is used today.

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MummifiedClient5000@feddit.dk
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Sure you’re not thinking of “pull yourself together”?

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