Register Log In Wordsmith Talk Forums General Topics Q&A about words mind blown Search Advanced Forum Search Forums Calendar Active Threads

Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread mind blown #202727 10/04/2011 11:17 PM Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 261 London/Prague bonzaialsatian enthusiast bonzaialsatian enthusiast Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 261 London/Prague It occurred to me today while reading some comments about an artist's work online that the phrase 'it blew my mind' doesn't actually make any literal sense. What's blowing my mind? Why is blowing on it so awe-inspiring? Or is it being blown up? Or blown away? Anyone know the etymology? Also, wow, has it really been seven years since I was last back here?? (not counting three brief posts back in '07). Enough time to leave school, finish university and get a job or three. Mind blown. Hope some of the familiar monikers are still around... Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: mind blown bonzaialsatian #202728 10/04/2011 11:47 PM Joined: May 2010 Posts: 963 Alaska Tromboniator old hand Tromboniator old hand Joined: May 2010 Posts: 963 Alaska "It" would be any event or sensory input. "Blew" in the sense that a fuse is blown — rendered incapable of carrying any further current. A mind-blowing experience is so overwhelming that one cannot take in any more data. The circuits are scrambled or melted. I believe the phrase came into existence (or certainly into popular use) in the 1960s in reference to psychedelic drug experiences. It seems generally (though not exclusively) to refer to a pleasurable, though possibly debilitating, experience. I was in college in those days, but have no first-hand knowledge of this phenomenon. I was not around the forum in your earlier days here, but welcome back! Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: mind blown Tromboniator #202730 10/04/2011 11:57 PM Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 261 London/Prague bonzaialsatian enthusiast bonzaialsatian enthusiast Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 261 London/Prague Of course! It didn't occur to me to make the connection with blown fuses. It's a pretty neat analogy, considering that encountering something truly mind-blowing would probably necessitate a bit of brain re-wiring... Also thanks and nice to meet you Tromboniator! Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: mind blown bonzaialsatian #202731 10/05/2011 12:44 AM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Jackie Carpal Tunnel Jackie Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Welcome back, bonzai! I guess you're not as young as you used to be. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: mind blown bonzaialsatian #202733 10/05/2011 9:24 AM Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague BranShea Carpal Tunnel BranShea Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague Answers can be blowing in the wind and minds can be blown by any strong experience and when we make an unfortunate mistake we 'blow it'. I think these are fashionable expressions for as long as they last. Welcome back. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: mind blown Jackie #202734 10/05/2011 10:03 AM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Originally Posted By: Jackie not as young as you used to be. None of us are. Or ever were, for that matter. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: mind blown bonzaialsatian #202738 10/05/2011 11:27 AM Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,706 down under Candy Pooh-Bah Candy Pooh-Bah Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,706 down under Originally Posted By: bonzaialsatian Also, wow, has it really been seven years since I was last back here?? (not counting three brief posts back in '07). Enough time to leave school, finish university and get a job or three. Mind blown. Nice that you came back doesn't time fly! mind-blowing is still in common usage....and I never really thought about any literal sense, because I just understood it. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: mind blown bonzaialsatian #202744 10/05/2011 3:08 PM Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 261 London/Prague bonzaialsatian enthusiast bonzaialsatian enthusiast Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 261 London/Prague Not to mention, "she blew my nose then she blew my mind" I'd always just 'understood' it too, until I started thinking about the phrase. Funny how 'blown away' implies strong impressive forces while 'blown off' immediately conjures up the image of an aphid being casually blown off someone's collar (although I guess the wind-speed from the aphid's perspective is still pretty impressive) Hi Jackie! Older, yes but probably far less mature now that I spend all my time making kids books and games... Last edited by bonzaialsatian; 10/05/2011 4:33 PM. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: mind blown bonzaialsatian #202749 10/06/2011 2:30 AM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Jackie Carpal Tunnel Jackie Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Oh, man--what a cool career! Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

Default Style BlackNTan Drab eBay GooG v2 infopop new dark new light original dark original stock rounded corners Slate snow sunny dropshadow theblues Touch Of Grey UBB.threads UBB.threads - Dark UBB.threads - Light UBBCentral UBBCentral - Crimson UBBCentral - Lime UBBCentral - Marshmallow UBBCentral - Mocha UBBCentral - Zen UBBT77 UBBT77 - Dark ubbthreads ubbthreads-dark Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Forum Help · Wordsmith Talk