What they actually mean is rather “these two things are very dissimilar”, or “these two things are unequal”.
I guess in most situations “cannot be compared” could be replaced by “cannot be equated”, with less lingual inaccuracy and still the same message conveyed.
To come to the conclusion that two things are very dissimilar, very unequal, one necessarily has to compare them. So it’s rather odd to come up with “cannot be compared” after just literally comparing them.
For example, bikes and cars. We compare them by looking at each’s details, and finding any dissimilarities. They have a different amount of wheels. Different propulsion methods. Different price, and so on.
When this list becomes very long, or some details have a major meaning which should not be equated, people say they cannot be compared.
An example with a major meaning difference: Some people say factory farming of animals and the Holocaust are very similar, or something alike. Others disagree, presumably because they feel wether it’s humans or animals being treated, the motives or whatnot make a difference big enough that the two should not be compared equated.
Can you follow my thoughts? Are ‘dissimilar’ or ‘unequal’ better terms? I’d be especially interested in arguments in favor of ‘compared’.
Attributes and values. The more attributes two things have in common, the easier to compare them by value. But when two things have very few attributes in common or the attributes they can be compared on are very broad, general or abstract, it is harder to compare them.
But, two things can have all the exact same attributes but totally different values of each. Thus they’re dissimilar or unequal when compared, but can be compared. The cybertruck and a Ford F-150 can be compared but are dissimilar. For all the attributes they share are unequal. A melon and a pogo stick are harder to compare, for their defining attributes hardly overlap except on a very abstract way.
This said, it’s all semantic subjectivity. Poetry compares dissimilar things and equates unequal concepts all the time.
I like that, especially this insight:
when two things have very few attributes in common or the attributes they can be compared on are very broad, general or abstract, it is harder to compare them.
A melon and a pogo stick are harder to compare, for their defining attributes hardly overlap except on a very abstract way.
Good on you to say “harder to compare” :D
it’s all semantic subjectivity. Poetry compares dissimilar things and equates unequal concepts all the time.
Another thing worthwhile to point out; subjectivity. I guess that part bothered me too. “cannot be compared” attempts to establish some kind of objective truth, whereas it only can be a subjective opinion.
The reference to poetry was nice, too.
Alternatively, the statement can be made in either of two additional contexts:
- I didn’t bother to compare these because of their glaring dissimilarities/ my own laziness.
- It is obvious to the casual observer that a comparison between these things would not produce a meaningful result, and therefore I’m pointing out that comparisons would be moot.
I see it as more like : these thinga are too dissimilar to be compared meaningfully. Like if some article says which is the best tool? And they give you a rake, a network router, and a nailgun. Then you meed context. You can make a matrix of differences and similarities but depends what you are trying to compare. Comparing could be: All are durable, All save time on tasks, All can break with misuse.
But can also be nailgun and router is bad for raking leaves.Yeah this, “cannot be compared” is meant to imply “Their comparison yields no meaningful conclusion”
I take “cannot be compared” to be a sort of shorthand claim - they aren’t actually asserting that the two things literally cannot be compared at all, but that they cannot be compared meaningfully or relevantly.
Agreed, yeah. Guess I was taking the word too literally.
They mean they can’t be compared in any significant way or they can’t be compared except in the broadest terms. Yes I could compare you to a summers day but really only if im waxing poetic.
But to be fair, thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Apples to oranges. What is similar? They are fruit. That’s about it.
Apples and Oranges have lots of similarities. About equal size and nutritions for example. Similar ph values, both grow on Trees
Just to name a few.
False dichotomy, because there’s never two options, there’s all the options, pizza tonight or tacos? There’s millions of alternatives.
What they actually mean is rather “these two things are very dissimilar”, or “these two things are unequal”.
I think what they mean is “This is an invalid comparison”. For instance, the idea that two concepts are “apples and oranges” invokes the idea that apples and orange can’t be compared. But of course they could be compared as fruits (which would you prefer to get in line at the cafeteria? Aren’t you inherently inviting a comparison? I’m with you on that).
However, if one were asking whether golden delicious apples are better than honeycrisp apples and someone butts in that navel oranges are the best, they’d get the same “navel oranges and golden delicious/honeycrisp apples can’t be compared” response because they’ve brought up an invalid comparison in the context of the comparison. Apples and oranges.
