As you so rightly say, the effectiveness of analogies and other word-play to convey ideas depends, in part, on the type of audience for which they are designed. Particularly since the advent of social media, I think it's fair to say that information published online now has much greater potential to move quickly beyond any 'intended' audience than ever before. And this is good! From my perspective as a science educator, this potential also makes me sensitive to the use of scientific language, especially since many of these terms and concepts are often misunderstood.

In the above economic example, I felt the biological analogy was stretched a little too much for my comfort. However, you're quite right in that mine doesn't quite fit either, and that to use a broader ecological analogy also serves to lessen the impact of, and detract from, the author's important message — something I wouldn't wish to do.

Thanks for the opportunity to discuss and for helping clarify my thinking!

As you so rightly say, the effectiveness of analogies and other word-play to convey ideas depends, in part, on the type of audience for which they are designed. Particularly since the advent of social media, I think it’s fair to say that information published online now has much greater potential to move quickly beyond any ‘intended’ audience than ever before. And this is good! From my perspective as a science educator, this potential also makes me sensitive to the use of scientific language, especially since many of these terms and concepts are often misunderstood.

In the above economic example, I felt the biological analogy was stretched a little too much for my comfort. However, you’re quite right in that mine doesn’t quite fit either, and that to use a broader ecological analogy also serves to lessen the impact of, and detract from, the author’s important message — something I wouldn’t wish to do.

Thanks for the opportunity to discuss and for helping clarify my thinking!