In the shadows

Do you know where “dark horse” and “black sheep” come from?

Image: Jonatan Pie

The idea of "darkness" is used to describe mystery, risk, or even a little mischief. Have you ever noticed how many idioms there are for darkness? And what about where these sayings come from, or why have they stuck around for centuries? Today, we’ll take a tour through some of the darkest idioms tied to this concept, uncovering their roots and what they still mean in everyday life.

Image: Lindsey Bidwell

The phrase "dark horse" first appeared as slang in horse racing, where an unknown competitor could surprise the crowd by winning. Benjamin Disraeli, a British politician and novelist, popularized it in the 1830s. Today, we use it for people who come out of nowhere to impress, whether in politics, sports, or even at a family game night. Are you usually the dark horse?

Image: Paul Garaizar

This saying goes back to the days when darkness symbolized ignorance. To "keep someone in the dark" meant to deprive them of light and knowledge. It has roots in 17th-century English writing, and it stuck because the image is so simple: if you’re kept from the light, you can’t see the whole picture.

Image: Thomas Chan

The idea of something "casting a shadow" goes all the way back to ancient poetry, where shadows represented gloom, doubt, or even bad omens. Shakespeare often used shadow imagery to suggest suspicion or hidden truths. Today, we use this expression to refer to that negative impact, the shadow, that something else may have.

Image: Sasha Freemind

This expression comes from a French board game called "lourche," popular in the 1500s. To be "left in the lurch" meant being stuck in a hopeless position in the game. English speakers borrowed the phrase, and it evolved to describe abandoning someone when they most needed help. Quite gloomy, don’t you think?

Image: Andrew Hughes

For centuries, people believed one half of the moon was always hidden from view. That unseen hemisphere became a perfect metaphor for secrets or unknown territory. Even after space exploration revealed more about the moon, the phrase stuck around as a poetic way to describe the mysterious side of things.

Image: Andrew Neel

This one has an old-fashioned ring to it. In earlier times, saying you didn’t want someone to "darken your door" meant you didn’t even want them standing at your doorway and blocking the light. But today, it means visiting someone, even if that’s unexpected or undesirable for the homeowner. Remember, text before you darken someone’s door!

Image: Yᴏꜱʜ ʜ. Qᴜɪɴᴢᴇʟ

This phrase plays on the simple contrast between safety and danger. The sunny, well-lit side of the street feels safer, while the darker side symbolizes risk and shady dealings. It has been used both literally and metaphorically since the 1800s to refer to the less desirable path.

Image: Sven Mieke

The idea of a "black mark" dates back to the 1600s, when a literal black mark might be written beside someone’s name to show disgrace. Over time, it grew into a figure of speech for any stain on reputation. Even now, one mistake can be called a "black mark" against an otherwise good record. This one you might want to get away from, right?

Image: Jonathan Greenaway

Black sheep are beautiful, but back in farming days, black wool couldn’t be dyed like white wool, making them less valuable to farmers. By the 18th century, the term had wandered into family life to describe the odd member who didn’t fit expectations. Today, being the "black sheep" often carries a mix of humor and pride.

Image: NORTHFOLK

Accountants in the past literally used black ink to record profits and red ink to record losses. To be "in the black" meant your books looked good. Red, on the other hand, meant you were in debt. The phrase has been around since the early 20th century and is still shorthand for financial health, especially for businesses.

THE HARDEST TIMES

The Great Depression: 10 Weird Facts About America’s Deepest Crisis

Image: The New York Public Library

The Great Depression, a period of economic instability that lasted from the early 1930s until the end of the decade, was one of the most challenging times in American history. Kickstarted by the Wall Street Crash of October 1929, the recession hit hard, bankrupting thousands of businesses and leaving no one untouched.

Though well depicted in films and literature, there are still numerous surprising and lesser-known facts that shed light on the resilience and creativity of the Americans who lived through those difficult times. From bizarre dance marathons to bustling criminality and a near-ecological collapse, here are 10 intriguing facts about the Depression Era that you might not have known.

Image: rc.xyz NFT gallery

Due to the extreme economic volatility, as the banking system collapsed, some towns and communities had to resort to issuing their own currency in order to keep commerce moving. These emergency currencies, often colorful and varied, featured designs from local artists.

They played a critical role in maintaining local economies during the financial crisis, ensuring that people could continue to trade goods and services despite the widespread financial crisis. Today, these unique scrips are collectors' items and a reminder of the creativity and resilience of communities during times of hardship.

Image: Museums of History New South Wales

The Great Depression saw a significant increase in the number of people who took to the road, wandering around the country in search of temporary employment. These migrant workers, known as hoboes, developed a cultural network that helped them survive the adverse conditions of the time.

This network included leaving messages for each other. While many of these messages were simple, including just their monikers or road names, a date, and the direction they were headed, there were claims of a more complex secret code. This code allegedly provided specific instructions on where to find food, safe places to sleep, or warnings about hostile areas. Though these claims were likely exaggerated, hoboes did rely on their community of fellow travelers to navigate the treacherous landscape of the Depression.

Image: Siora Photography

Farmers were among those hit hardest by the economic crisis. When banks foreclosed on farms for unpaid debts and their properties were auctioned, neighbors would conspire to bid pennies on both property and equipment, often using intimidation or physical force if necessary to keep others from bidding competitively. They would then return the farm to the original owners.

This act of defiance and solidarity helped create a strong sense of community during tough times. For many, losing a farm meant losing their livelihood and sustenance, making these efforts crucial for survival.

Image: Zoe Schaeffer

Many rural families survived by reverting to subsistence farming, hunting, and foraging. Skills that were once common but declining became essential for survival, aligning with a larger back-to-the-land movement that swept across America during the harder years of the crisis.

City folk believed that returning to the land was the only way to survive and avoid the pitfalls of consumerism that had contributed to widespread poverty. The back-to-the-land ethos provided both a practical solution to immediate economic hardships and a philosophical shift toward valuing independence and community perseverance.

Image: Mark Asthoff

Not without irony, the largest skyscraper in the world until the 1970s was completed during the Depression. A symbol of ambition and modernity, the Empire State Building stood as a rare sight in a foundering country. Initially, it struggled to find tenants, earning it the nickname "Empty State Building."

However, despite the economic downturn, its construction provided much-needed jobs for thousands of workers. The building of the Empire State Building became a beacon of hope amidst economic despair, proof of American strength and determination to leave the economic crisis behind.

Image: Samantha Sheppard

As if farmers didn’t have enough on their hands with the hardships brought on by economic instability, they also faced an ecological collapse of significant proportions during the Great Depression.

Severe drought and dust storms ravaged farmlands, forcing thousands of families to migrate westward in search of employment and improved living conditions. This ecological catastrophe stemmed from a combination of natural phenomena and human activities, including the destruction of natural topsoil and inadequate measures to prevent wind erosion.

Image: Maxim Hopman

With scarce job opportunities and widespread societal collapse, the Depression saw the rise of many notorious criminals like Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger, and Pretty Boy Floyd.

These criminal figures soon captured the public's imagination, becoming folk heroes to some and villains to others.

Though the media often exaggerated their exploits to boost sales, the real backstories of most of these criminals reflect the desperation and feelings of societal abandonment that were prevalent during that time.

Image: Philip Strong

In the midst of economic turmoil, Americans flocked en masse to sports for much-needed relief and affordable entertainment. Popular sports such as baseball, boxing, and athletics experienced a significant surge in both attendance and participation.

Iconic moments, such as Jesse Owens' triumph in the 1936 Olympics, also served as sources of inspiration and ignited a sense of nationwide pride. These events solidified America’s enduring fascination with sports of all kinds, demonstrating their power to uplift spirits and unify communities even during challenging times.

Image: Joshua Hoehne

Curiously, the Monopoly board game surged in popularity during the Great Depression. Originally developed in the early 1900s as "The Landlord's Game," Monopoly was commercially released under its modern name in 1935.

It became an instant hit, providing an affordable form of entertainment and a temporary escape from financial woes. In the world of the game, players could dream of economic success, even amid real-world hardships, cementing Monopoly as a staple in American households.

Image: jurien huggins

Bizarrely, many forms of endurance entertainment became a craze during the Great Depression. One of these peculiar trends was dance marathons, where participants competed to outlast each other on the dance floor, often dancing for days with only short breaks.

Another similar trend was flagpole-sitting, which involved individuals sitting atop flagpoles for extended periods, attracting spectators and media attention. These events often offered participants a chance to earn money and meals, while also drawing large crowds who paid to witness the spectacle unfold.