What is your country's "coals to Newcastle"?

case_when@feddit.uk to Asklemmy@lemmy.ml – 62 points –

I was talking with a friend who mentioned "taking tea to India". It made me wonder what the equivalents are around the world. "Taking coals to Newcastle" is the UK's.

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I think "selling ice to Eskimos" is the American equivalent. Naturally, the amerikkka version of this phrase: 1) involves an exonym that's a bit offensive 2) kinda makes doing a pointless exercise sound like a good thing.

kinda makes doing a pointless exercise sound like a good thing.

Does it really?

To me it sounds like something that would be hard or impossible and stupid to even try. Kinda like taking coal to Newcastle is pretty stupid and you will lose money doing it.