You cannot achieve something worthwhile without some sacrifice, damage, or unpleasant consequences along the way.
This phrase originated in French ('Il faut casser les oeufs pour faire une omelette') and was popularized in English by the 19th century. It gained political significance when used to justify harsh measures for supposedly greater goods.
This innocent cooking metaphor has been used to justify everything from minor inconveniences to major historical atrocities - showing how dangerous it can be when simple wisdom gets applied to complex moral situations. The phrase reveals our tendency to rationalize necessary evils!
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