A certain political writer does not like a certain television news network here in the States because he claims that it has a “tendency to turn molehills into anthills.”
Would you please tell me what he was trying to say?
Thank you
A molehill is smaller than an anthill. He probably means it has a tendency to turn small problems into larger ones. It’s probably a play on a similar expression about ‘not making a mountain out of a molehill’
Hi James,
I think you know that the original phrase deals with turning an anthill into a molehill, or a molehill into a mountain, which means treating a problem as if it was very serious when in fact it is not.
Turning molehills into anthills is just acting the opposite way, that is hiding the seriousness of the problem/facts behind something petty, insignificant, paying too much attention to small details.
That’s how I see it. Some may read it differently.
On second thought, Beees’ was correct as molehill is definitely smaller (though a mole itself is bigger than an ant). Reading the phrase in the context would have saved me from jumping to a conclusion.
Thank you very much, Beeesneees and Eugene. I did not know that a molehill is smaller than an anthill.
Obviously it depends on the species of ant, but…
molehill…
anthill…
My word, that’s a big one…
Bet you say that all the time!