The first time I heard the phrase, "You can talk the talk; can you walk the walk?" was in that great Kubrick film, "Full Metal Jacket." Joker (Mathew Modine), a Marine journalist writing for Stars and Stripes, was shooting off his mouth to a battle-hardened Animal Mother (Adam Baldwin. Mother strolls up to Joker after a particularly pointed remark and says, "You can talk the talk; can you walk the walk?" Thankfully, Eightball (the estimable Dorian Harewood) steps between the two and staves off a fight. Ever since then I've heard this poignant and pointed phrase butchered by the wise and the idiotic.
"Well, he can talk the talk, but can he walk the talk?
"That guy can walk the talk, but can he talk the walk?
Ladies and gentlemen, please write this down: Talk the talk; walk the walk. Simple. Direct.
There is no walking the talk or talking the walk.
"Walk a mile in my shoes." Learn what it is to be in my situation before you judge me. "You got to walk that lonesome valley..." You have to live on your own and learn what life is for you.
That's the walking part. The talking part goes more to "well, he certainly talks a good game."
Clearly "talking the talk" means that one can shoot off one's mouth and sound really good, but it doesn't necessarily mean much. "Walking the walk" means that one has and/or is living a life and engaging in it on a day-to-day basis. Clearly "walking the walk" is respected and revered; "talking the talk" is reviled and considered small and worthless.
If you're going to use these really good and illuminating phrases, use 'em right people!
Next post I'm going to take up that maligned Jimi Hendrix phrase, "'scuse me while I kiss this guy."
Sunday, August 10, 2008
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