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4It does but it also conveys a vision of impending catastrophe which does not appear relevant. Still a nice image though.– WudangCommented Apr 13, 2012 at 10:46
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@Wudang interesting point. When I have used this, I never really thought about the sinking as a pending catastrophe but rather just a very significant issue that was being ignored in favor of busying oneself with a futile task.– DQdlMCommented Apr 13, 2012 at 14:19
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One of my bosses had a saying for that..."killing the fly on the wall instead of removing the shit from the room" but I don't think it quite matches what the OP is asking. +1 anyway because I like the image...especially on the centennial of the sinking.– Michael BrownCommented Apr 13, 2012 at 14:44
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1I've always thought "rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic" is intended to convey not merely a sense of futility but more specifically of focusing on the mundane in the face of an overwhelming need to focus on something much more pressing. "Fiddling while Rome burns" conveys the same meaning to me.– Simon WhitakerCommented Apr 13, 2012 at 23:01
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@DQdlM - yes I think I may have overstated it.– WudangCommented Apr 14, 2012 at 12:56
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