TIL “Pull Yourself Up By Your Bootstraps” was originally meant sarcastically, or to suggest an impossible accomplishment, because it is impossible for someone to pull themselves up by their bootstraps
minnieo@kbin.social to 
Today I Learned@kbin.social – 26 points – media.kbin.social
I guess nobody ever told the boomers...
Nah, they have just been mocking us the whole time, knowing we were fucked.
Also the origin of the term booting a computer.
While I don't appreciate the way this phrase is used currently, I'm not sure it is worthwhile getting too deep into it. Meanings change over time like discussed in the "hey" post the other day or more recently with the increased meanings for literally.
Isn't that how it's used now? (Although I wouldn't say "sarcastically" but rather "metaphorically".) I would define it as referring to a task that is very difficult due to a lack of outside support.
nowadays i hear it exclusively used to tell someone to 'toughen up'
Sure you're not thinking of "pull yourself together"?
I figured that the people saying it meant "you need to find the strength to do this yourself since no one is going to help you".
"You need to find the strength to do the impossible because we won't spend money on minorities and poor people" is how it is used today.