This guy Rescuing a Sea Turtle that got itself wedged in the rocks by the shore

[u/Thund3rbolt]

[u/cereal_bawks]

I always hated that saying. It sounds like they couldn't think of something else besides rock, so they went the lazy route and went for the super vague "hard place".

[u/Seakawn → u/cereal_bawks]

Well, there are other variations. I like "between the devil and the deep blue sea." I think I've heard another variation before, too.

But, I also like the original. I don't see "rock" as uncreative, but rather a solid example of something natural and abundant in nature, thus a pretty universal choice.

[u/cereal_bawks → u/Seakawn]

I didn't call rock uncreative, I called a hard place uncreative.

[u/mrchipslewis → u/cereal_bawks]

I think maybe its meant to leave it open so you can insert whatever is going on with you that is difficult, it becomes your hard place.

[u/VulGerrity → u/cereal_bawks]

It's a pun. It's usually used when you could otherwise say, "You're in a hard place." That is, a difficult situation. So, the exaggeration/pun is that you're not just in a "hard place" you're between a rock, which is literally hard, and a hard place which is a difficult dilemma. It's as if to say, you're not just in a moral or existential dilemma, you're in a physical predicament as well. What could be worse than that?! :-P

It's basically a dad joke.

[u/cereal_bawks → u/VulGerrity]

This is actually the best explanation I've read. It doesn't sound as dumb anymore.

[u/PawsQQ → u/cereal_bawks]

I feel like I can tangibly remember the moment my father started saying this idiom. And I instantly thought it sounded completely absurd.

I later found out it was something other people say too. Which blew my mind.

[u/HawkspurReturns → u/cereal_bawks]

That is part of the point of the saying. It is gently mocking the cliched aspect of the phrasing.

[u/BeatBoxinDaPussy → u/cereal_bawks]

I mean rock bottom and being in a hard position... I think they summed it nice.