"Blurry" by Stand Atlantic, Tuesday, October 15, 2024
A "pink elephant" is a metaphor or expression referring to something strange or absurd. The term is often associated with hallucinations or seeing things that aren't real, especially in the context of being intoxicated. The idea is that a person who is extremely drunk or under the influence of drugs might "see pink elephants," an exaggerated example of a hallucination. In a broader sense, "the pink elephant in the room" can also refer to an obvious problem or issue that everyone is ignoring or avoiding, though this usage is less common than the phrase "the elephant in the room." The expression "pink elephant" as a metaphor for drunken hallucinations is thought to have originated in the early 20th century. Its first recorded use can be traced to Jack London's 1913 novel, John Barleycorn , subtitled Alcoholic Memoirs, in which London discusses the effects of heavy drinking. He writes about how alcohol can cause hallucinations,