"Splitting Hairs" Idiom Meaning, Origin & History | Superduper English Idioms
Channel: Superduper English Idioms
Date: 2020-10-07

0:00 - How to Say, “Splitting hairs.”
0:20 - Examples of “Splitting hairs.”
1:07 - Meaning of “Splitting hairs.”
1:21 - Origin of “Splitting hairs.”
4:53 - More Examples of “Splitting hairs.”
5:36 - Conclusion

“Splitting hairs.”

It’s not unusual to hear it being said that someone is, “splitting hairs,” or being picky about extraordinarily small differences between things.

“Those two TVs are pretty much the same thing, stop splitting hairs!” you might tell your husband as he agonizes over which TV to buy.

Maybe you’re looking at two different brands of instant coffee at the supermarket and your partner says, “You’re splitting hairs, I’m sure you won’t be able to tell the difference…”

“Sorry to be splitting hairs, but what is the difference between these two fabrics?” you might ask the salesperson at a store.

As you can see, if you are “splitting hairs”, you are fussing over, worrying about the minute differences between two or more things.

One of the earliest references to “splitting hairs” appears in the 17th century and refers to a scholar who was adept at winning arguments by focusing on trifling distinctions.

Back then, there was not a blade sharp enough to cut a single strand of hair lengthwise, so “splitting hairs” was considered nearly impossible, along with “making chains for fleas, nets for flies, and instruments to unravel cobwebs.”

When you are making something - whether you are an artist, artisan, designer, craftsperson, maker or hobbyist - you tend to focus intensely on every detail of what you are crafting…

… and you notice details that others may not notice. You tend to want things to be perfect and you “split hairs” over the most subtle differences.

The vast majority of people will not notice how perfect your creation is, but your efforts to satisfy your own preferences will not go unnoticed, as there is a minority of folks that appreciate detail.

In psychology, those who tend to “split hairs” are called “maximizers”, while those who generally ignore small differences are called “satisficers”.

For example, if you have a hard time choosing between options because you only want the best and are constantly worried about better options coming along, you are a “maximizer”...

… on the other hand, if you can easily make a decision amongst many choices and are often happy with what you’ve chosen despite the attractiveness of what you didn’t choose, you are a “satisficer”.

Studies have shown that “maximizers” are more likely to experience lower levels of happiness and self-esteem, and experience more regret. They also tend to be perfectionists, which is unsurprisingly a trait of successful artists, designers, craftspeople.

Thus, it is perhaps a good idea to be a “maximizer” when it comes to your profession or area of expertise, but to be a “satisficer” in all other aspects of your life.

Why “split hairs” over the choice of snack, when you’ll probably enjoy whatever you choose? Save the “hair splitting” for something more important!

“I know that it seems we’re splitting hairs, but it’s important to get our website design perfect,” the head UX designer might say at a meeting.

Perhaps your friend is dawdling over the different flavours of macaron, “You’re splitting hairs - they’re all going to be delicious!”

“Let’s not split hairs here, I just want some caffeine! Any coffee will do,” you might tell the barista at a coffee shop.

So, the next time someone seems to be wasting time or fixated upon some microscopic difference or distinction, be sure to say that they’re “splitting hairs”.

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References: https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/37473/literal-meaning-of-splitting-hairs

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/science-choice/201506/satisficing-vs-maximizing#:~:text=A%20satisficer%20is%20less%20likely,also%20tend%20to%20be%20perfectionists.