No, that phrase means “this situation is hopeless because the person is incapable of change”. You can’t turn a fly into a butterfly, no matter how hard you try.
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webadict@lemmy.world 2 months ago
The saying “you can’t butter a fly” is an idiom expressing that someone or something is too difficult to influence or manipulate. It’s rooted in the idea that butterflies, with their delicate nature, are virtually impossible to convince to do anything against their will, let alone “butter” them in a literal sense.
surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Deebster@infosec.pub 2 months ago
This is a great example - it kinda makes sense if you skim read it but butterflies have nothing to do with butter, just like hotdogs have nothing to do with dogs.
futatorius@lemm.ee 1 month ago
The Germans have it right, their word for butterfly means something like “little crusher.”
Deebster@infosec.pub 1 month ago
I’m not understanding why that’s an appropriate name, but maybe I need to learn more about butterflies.
futatorius@lemm.ee 1 month ago
That’s only a partial saying. The whole is “you can’t butter a fly, but you can make a bi flutter.”