Are you toying with something that isn’t what you thought it was? If that’s the case, you could say that we will all laugh at gilded butterflies. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
The meaning of “we will all laugh at gilded butterflies” means that something that appears nice will actually be less than we expect in terms of its experience. For instance, a celebrity might appear as a beautiful person, with everything going right for her.
However, in reality, she is just like any other person and has the same problems in her life as everyone else. The person might appear larger than life, but they may have a toxic personality they don’t display in public.
Another meaning of the phrase describes goods and services that don’t function as you expect. For instance, the latest iPhone model might look like an amazing phone, but it might just be the old iPhone with a new cover.
You could also apply the phrase to going out to eat at a restaurant. The food may arrive at your table looking great, but it might taste bland.
Example Usage
“We will all laugh at gilded butterflies, even if they turn out to be less than we expected.”
“I was hoping that the public saw through the persona of that grifter on TV, but we will all laugh at gilded butterflies, I guess.”
“It’s sad how much faith people place in influencers and celebrities these days. I guess we will all laugh at gilded butterflies, even though they are leading us into the abyss.”
Origin
The origin of the phrase “We will all laugh at gilded butterflies” comes from the actress Megan Fox. She has a tattoo of the proverb on her right shoulder. However, we’re confident she got the saying from the original Shakespeare quote in King Lear.
In this work, King Lear says, “…tell old tales, and laugh At gilded butterflies,….”
We assume that the actress got her tattoo as a rendition of the work, but we’re not sure if she changed the exact terminology of the phrase because she wanted it to look modern or because she doesn’t know that it’s a Shakespearean saying. One would assume that any real Shakespeare fan wouldn’t alter the original format of the expression.
Phrases Similar to We Will all Laugh at Gilded Butterflies
- Putting lipstick on a pig.
- You can’t polish a turd.
Phrases Opposite to We Will all Laugh at Gilded Butterflies
- As advertised.
What is the Correct Saying?
- We Will all Laugh at Gilded Butterflies
Ways People May Say We Will all Laugh at Gilded Butterflies Incorrectly
A great example of the incorrect use of the saying is with Megan Fox and her shoulder tattoo. Fox has the proverb “We all laugh at gilded butterflies” tattooed on her right shoulder blade. We assume that she thinks she is making a statement that Hollywood is not as it seems.
However, it’s kind of ironic that she’s has the tattoo since she is part of the Hollywood elite, and many people view her as a “plastic person.” Essentially, she is the stereotype she is trying to avoid by tattooing it on herself.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase We Will all Laugh at Gilded Butterflies
You can use the phrase “we will all laugh at gilded butterflies” when you’re referring to something that looks great but fails to deliver on its experience. You can use the saying when referring to consumer products, movies, people, and many other objects.