The hill you are prepared to die on

[LindorDoubleChoc]

I've seen this phrase bandied about a bit and didn't really know what it meant until I googled just now (although had a bit of an idea).

I'm not sure it's a helpful concept as the vast majority of people have many causes/opinions/feelings they feel very strongly about so how to choose the hill?

It's like asking someone what is their ONLY ultimate number one song or book - impossible for most to choose.

You are overthinking it!

It's just a phrase.

I used this phrase with someone who thought it was ok to scroll their phone in the cinema if they weren't enjoying the film. They were absolutely adamant it was fine. I was adamant it wasn't

It's just a handy catchphrase for this is my boundary or this is something important to my values

It's a boundary you're unwilling to budge on

And when it's directed at someone else, it can help put things in perspective that they're blowing something out of proportion.

It's not usually 'the hill', but 'a hill'.

As in, 'I prefer milk chocolate to plain, but it's not a hill I'm prepared to die on'.

You might use it in a challenging way to someone- 'you're saying Hersheys is better than Cadbury's? Is that really a hill you're prepared to die on?!