English is a weird language. Words have specific meanings, except sometimes a phrase means the opposite of its literal meaning.
Take the expression “stirring the pot.”
“Stir the pot” is an idiom that means to intentionally cause trouble, drama, or controversy. It involves creating tension. Agitating a situation. Disturbing the status quo.
Stirring the pot is something we are advised to avoid.
If you are accused of stirring the pot, it’s not a compliment. It’s an accusation.
But consider the literal action of stirring a pot when cooking.
If you put your ingredients in a pot and do nothing else, the heavy ones will sink to the bottom.
Stirring the pot moves everything around and prevents all the ingredients from sticking together.
Stirring the pot releases the flavors of the ingredients and causes them to blend together.
Stirring the pot also creates equity. Let’s say you’ve made a soup with lots of vegetables. If you don’t stir the pot before you serve the soup, all the vegetables will be stuck on the bottom.
Some people will get only broth, while others get the vegetables from the bottom. The people who get only broth miss out on the fully experience.
Viewed in this context, stirring the pot is an act of hospitality and fairness. It ensures everyone gets the best of what you are offering.
The alternative to stirring the pot is that the best of what you have settles. It gets stuck at the bottom.
Stirring the pot sets liberates the good stuff; it allows it to rise to the top, where it can be appreciated by all.
Maybe we should all be stirring the pot more often.
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