this post was submitted on 28 Jul 2023
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[–] maporita@unilem.org 10 points 1 year ago (3 children)

"You can't have your cake and eat it too". What is the flaming point of having cake if you can't eat it?

[–] dark776174657273@lemmy.sdf.org 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I wondered about this for years and years, never understanding, especially, since "having cake" and "eating cake" are used interchangeably. But, I finally figured it out! In this sense, the "having" is equivalent to "keeping" or "being in possession of."

Examples:

  • "What's it like having a Mercedes Benz?"
  • "The Smiths have a very nice home."

No eating implied!

Therefore, the saying is more inline with "You can't keep (to show off or admire) your cake, and eat it, too."

[–] snowe@programming.dev 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

But you can. Just cut a hole in the bottom and eat it from there. Then it’s presentable and edible.

[–] Robaque@feddit.it 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Ok smartass

/j

[–] PeterPoopshit@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

One time I baked a whole entire cake for myself. There was no occasion or anything I just wanted to have a cake and eat it too. It turns out cakes are really big and it's really hard for a single person to eat a cake faster than it turns all spongy and icky.

[–] SapphicFemme@lib.lgbt 2 points 1 year ago

That moment when you are an adult and finally can have all the good foods.

[–] crazystuff 1 points 1 year ago

Not a native speaker, but I’m pretty sure the idea is, “you can’t eat your cake and still keep it intact”