What does “The dimmer the light the greater the scandal” mean?












0















I saw this in a list of quotes, but can't figure out what it means, or find where it comes from.



I've searched extensively on google, but no joy. I assume it's not very common?






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  • 2





    Well, common sense seems to indicate that when a secret needs to be kept, little light will be shed on it, so the darker the scene, the more scandalous the secret that needs to be concealed.

    – Gustavson
    6 hours ago













  • @Gustavson Ahh thank you it all makes sense now. Don't know why I was so confused

    – digitalHamster0
    6 hours ago
















0















I saw this in a list of quotes, but can't figure out what it means, or find where it comes from.



I've searched extensively on google, but no joy. I assume it's not very common?






phrases







share|improve this question







New contributor




digitalHamster0 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 2





    Well, common sense seems to indicate that when a secret needs to be kept, little light will be shed on it, so the darker the scene, the more scandalous the secret that needs to be concealed.

    – Gustavson
    6 hours ago













  • @Gustavson Ahh thank you it all makes sense now. Don't know why I was so confused

    – digitalHamster0
    6 hours ago














0












0








0








I saw this in a list of quotes, but can't figure out what it means, or find where it comes from.



I've searched extensively on google, but no joy. I assume it's not very common?






phrases







share|improve this question







New contributor




digitalHamster0 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












I saw this in a list of quotes, but can't figure out what it means, or find where it comes from.



I've searched extensively on google, but no joy. I assume it's not very common?






phrases




phrases






share|improve this question







New contributor




digitalHamster0 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question







New contributor




digitalHamster0 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question






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asked 7 hours ago









digitalHamster0digitalHamster0

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digitalHamster0 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






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Check out our Code of Conduct.








  • 2





    Well, common sense seems to indicate that when a secret needs to be kept, little light will be shed on it, so the darker the scene, the more scandalous the secret that needs to be concealed.

    – Gustavson
    6 hours ago













  • @Gustavson Ahh thank you it all makes sense now. Don't know why I was so confused

    – digitalHamster0
    6 hours ago














  • 2





    Well, common sense seems to indicate that when a secret needs to be kept, little light will be shed on it, so the darker the scene, the more scandalous the secret that needs to be concealed.

    – Gustavson
    6 hours ago













  • @Gustavson Ahh thank you it all makes sense now. Don't know why I was so confused

    – digitalHamster0
    6 hours ago








2




2





Well, common sense seems to indicate that when a secret needs to be kept, little light will be shed on it, so the darker the scene, the more scandalous the secret that needs to be concealed.

– Gustavson
6 hours ago







Well, common sense seems to indicate that when a secret needs to be kept, little light will be shed on it, so the darker the scene, the more scandalous the secret that needs to be concealed.

– Gustavson
6 hours ago















@Gustavson Ahh thank you it all makes sense now. Don't know why I was so confused

– digitalHamster0
6 hours ago





@Gustavson Ahh thank you it all makes sense now. Don't know why I was so confused

– digitalHamster0
6 hours ago










3 Answers
3






active

oldest

votes


















0














from the figurative sense of dim: OED




fig. Not clear to the mind or understanding; obscure, faint.




As in:



With more obscurity (dimmer the light) the scandal flourished.






share|improve this answer































    0














    There's a construction that shows up frequently in adages, using two comparatives in a row with the and optional commas, viz





    • the bigger, the better = 'goodness increases as size increases'


    • the bigger they are, the harder they fall = 'dethroning a powerful person is better than an underling'


    • the less you have, the more they pick on you = 'it is safer to annoy the poor than the rich'


    To this must be added the interpretations added from metaphors, in particular that of Light. Lights can be brighter or dimmer, and our vision depends on light being available in sufficient brightness. Metaphorically, shining light on something means making it public and visible; it is what you do to scandals. Scandals prefer dark corners and underworlds.



    Then there is the ambiguity of great and scandal. Is a scandal that never becomes public a great scandal? Or is it great only because it's been made public? This can get complex, but it's not important.



    So, what it says is that the greatness of the scandal increases as the light diminishes in brightness. What it means, practically speaking, is something nobody is likely to disagree with -- that great scandals thrive in dim circumstances. One need not rate scandals in greatness units to know that.






    share|improve this answer































      0














      Look it up --



      Dimmer



      enter image description here



      Light



      enter image description here



      Grater



      enter image description here



      Scandal



      enter image description here






      share|improve this answer























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        3 Answers
        3






        active

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        3 Answers
        3






        active

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        0














        from the figurative sense of dim: OED




        fig. Not clear to the mind or understanding; obscure, faint.




        As in:



        With more obscurity (dimmer the light) the scandal flourished.






        share|improve this answer




























          0














          from the figurative sense of dim: OED




          fig. Not clear to the mind or understanding; obscure, faint.




          As in:



          With more obscurity (dimmer the light) the scandal flourished.






          share|improve this answer


























            0












            0








            0







            from the figurative sense of dim: OED




            fig. Not clear to the mind or understanding; obscure, faint.




            As in:



            With more obscurity (dimmer the light) the scandal flourished.






            share|improve this answer













            from the figurative sense of dim: OED




            fig. Not clear to the mind or understanding; obscure, faint.




            As in:



            With more obscurity (dimmer the light) the scandal flourished.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 5 hours ago









            lbflbf

            21.4k22575




            21.4k22575

























                0














                There's a construction that shows up frequently in adages, using two comparatives in a row with the and optional commas, viz





                • the bigger, the better = 'goodness increases as size increases'


                • the bigger they are, the harder they fall = 'dethroning a powerful person is better than an underling'


                • the less you have, the more they pick on you = 'it is safer to annoy the poor than the rich'


                To this must be added the interpretations added from metaphors, in particular that of Light. Lights can be brighter or dimmer, and our vision depends on light being available in sufficient brightness. Metaphorically, shining light on something means making it public and visible; it is what you do to scandals. Scandals prefer dark corners and underworlds.



                Then there is the ambiguity of great and scandal. Is a scandal that never becomes public a great scandal? Or is it great only because it's been made public? This can get complex, but it's not important.



                So, what it says is that the greatness of the scandal increases as the light diminishes in brightness. What it means, practically speaking, is something nobody is likely to disagree with -- that great scandals thrive in dim circumstances. One need not rate scandals in greatness units to know that.






                share|improve this answer




























                  0














                  There's a construction that shows up frequently in adages, using two comparatives in a row with the and optional commas, viz





                  • the bigger, the better = 'goodness increases as size increases'


                  • the bigger they are, the harder they fall = 'dethroning a powerful person is better than an underling'


                  • the less you have, the more they pick on you = 'it is safer to annoy the poor than the rich'


                  To this must be added the interpretations added from metaphors, in particular that of Light. Lights can be brighter or dimmer, and our vision depends on light being available in sufficient brightness. Metaphorically, shining light on something means making it public and visible; it is what you do to scandals. Scandals prefer dark corners and underworlds.



                  Then there is the ambiguity of great and scandal. Is a scandal that never becomes public a great scandal? Or is it great only because it's been made public? This can get complex, but it's not important.



                  So, what it says is that the greatness of the scandal increases as the light diminishes in brightness. What it means, practically speaking, is something nobody is likely to disagree with -- that great scandals thrive in dim circumstances. One need not rate scandals in greatness units to know that.






                  share|improve this answer


























                    0












                    0








                    0







                    There's a construction that shows up frequently in adages, using two comparatives in a row with the and optional commas, viz





                    • the bigger, the better = 'goodness increases as size increases'


                    • the bigger they are, the harder they fall = 'dethroning a powerful person is better than an underling'


                    • the less you have, the more they pick on you = 'it is safer to annoy the poor than the rich'


                    To this must be added the interpretations added from metaphors, in particular that of Light. Lights can be brighter or dimmer, and our vision depends on light being available in sufficient brightness. Metaphorically, shining light on something means making it public and visible; it is what you do to scandals. Scandals prefer dark corners and underworlds.



                    Then there is the ambiguity of great and scandal. Is a scandal that never becomes public a great scandal? Or is it great only because it's been made public? This can get complex, but it's not important.



                    So, what it says is that the greatness of the scandal increases as the light diminishes in brightness. What it means, practically speaking, is something nobody is likely to disagree with -- that great scandals thrive in dim circumstances. One need not rate scandals in greatness units to know that.






                    share|improve this answer













                    There's a construction that shows up frequently in adages, using two comparatives in a row with the and optional commas, viz





                    • the bigger, the better = 'goodness increases as size increases'


                    • the bigger they are, the harder they fall = 'dethroning a powerful person is better than an underling'


                    • the less you have, the more they pick on you = 'it is safer to annoy the poor than the rich'


                    To this must be added the interpretations added from metaphors, in particular that of Light. Lights can be brighter or dimmer, and our vision depends on light being available in sufficient brightness. Metaphorically, shining light on something means making it public and visible; it is what you do to scandals. Scandals prefer dark corners and underworlds.



                    Then there is the ambiguity of great and scandal. Is a scandal that never becomes public a great scandal? Or is it great only because it's been made public? This can get complex, but it's not important.



                    So, what it says is that the greatness of the scandal increases as the light diminishes in brightness. What it means, practically speaking, is something nobody is likely to disagree with -- that great scandals thrive in dim circumstances. One need not rate scandals in greatness units to know that.







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered 4 hours ago









                    John LawlerJohn Lawler

                    84.7k6117332




                    84.7k6117332























                        0














                        Look it up --



                        Dimmer



                        enter image description here



                        Light



                        enter image description here



                        Grater



                        enter image description here



                        Scandal



                        enter image description here






                        share|improve this answer




























                          0














                          Look it up --



                          Dimmer



                          enter image description here



                          Light



                          enter image description here



                          Grater



                          enter image description here



                          Scandal



                          enter image description here






                          share|improve this answer


























                            0












                            0








                            0







                            Look it up --



                            Dimmer



                            enter image description here



                            Light



                            enter image description here



                            Grater



                            enter image description here



                            Scandal



                            enter image description here






                            share|improve this answer













                            Look it up --



                            Dimmer



                            enter image description here



                            Light



                            enter image description here



                            Grater



                            enter image description here



                            Scandal



                            enter image description here







                            share|improve this answer












                            share|improve this answer



                            share|improve this answer










                            answered 2 hours ago









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