The Power of Metaphors
Luis Ayala, Editor of "Got Rum?" magazine, Rum Consultant and Founder of The Rum University
Metaphors are powerful teaching tools because they allow complex concepts or situations to be described in more mundane, simpler terms. I know this very well, because I use (some would say overuse) them during consulting and teaching sessions. I enjoy using them because they work: they allow me to communicate with the right-hemispheres of my audience’s brains, even when their left hemisphere is confused by -or busy digesting- a new topic.
There are many analogies in the world of rum production, some of these include:
• The sugarcane seeds (stalks) are planted horizontally, but the new shoots grow vertically, meaning that principles can overcome roadblocks
• The sugarcane re-growing after being harvested symbolizes endurance and a victory over temporary setbacks
• The spent wash from the rum distillery being used as fertilizer to feed the next generation of sugarcane stalks represents the Phoenix rising from the ashes (waste)
• Etc...
But perhaps my favorite rum metaphor of them all, is how inclusive it is in terms of the consumers it attracts, from the poorest cane cutter who may enjoy a shot of aguardiente after a hard day’s work, to the white-collar worker who will consume the same aguardiente mixed with coke after work. If we wanted to find a distilled spirits category that represented human diversity, both in terms of its color, personalities, volatility, etc., we need look no further: rum is it!
So, in this season of giving and of reflection, imagine how the world could be a much better place if we all learned to live together as a society, just like all rum styles and brands are (or should be) fighting to promote, protect and grow the entire rum category.
2017 is full of surprises, don’t forget to look into sugarcane and rum if you ever need an analogy to overcome any of them!
Cheers,
Luis Ayala, Editor and Publisher