Posted by Pamela on June 09, 2006
In Reply to: Re: "Put oneself on a pedestal" posted by Bob on June 08, 2006
: : Can anyone tell me the meaning of the phrase "put oneself on a pedestal". Orginally I thought it meant to put yourself in a situation that could easily turn out badly, but that seems to be wrong.
: Pedestals are where you put big marble statues of famous people, gods, and other such hotshots. If you put yourself on a pedestal, you're rising above your station, putting on airs, thinking too much of yourself, and headed (like Ozymandius) for a fall.
I've only ever heard of someone putting someone else on a pedestal, meaning that the person cannot seek any faults in another person (i.e raising them to the status of a famous person, god or so on). And yes, if you do that then inevitably the person will reveal themself to be human after all and fall. Pamela