分享一个知识点: Reader question: Please explain the expression “move the goal posts”, as in this passage: Apple fans always move the goal posts when discussing Microsoft. The iPhone sells 17m units, and it’s a hit, despite having relatively small market share. The Xbox 360 sells 28m units (about 30% market share in its generation) leads its segment, and it’s not a hit somehow. My comments: “Moving the goal posts” is unfair. In the above example, if 17 million units sold is considered a “hit”, 28 million is, by logic, an even greater success. However, since the 17 million were iPhones made by Apple, Apple fans, who favor iPhones over the Xbox 360, see it differently. Lest we get deep into the Apple or Microsoft squabble (and controversy), let’s focus on “moving the goal posts” the expression, which may have come from the game of soccer, or rugby or American football where goal posts are used. In soccer, for instance, the two goal posts standing 7.32 meters apart support a bar 2.44 meters in height. This represents the goal, into which a player kicks the ball for a score. Now suppose the goalkeeper move the goal posts, metaphorically speaking of course, after a player shoots the ball in the direction of the goal, what will happen? The ball will fly off target, because the original target has been moved from its usual position. |