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When you are on fire, fire safety manuals would tell you to stop, drop, and roll. This would put the fire out, and keep you safe and unharmed. Of course, most people would panic in such a situation, and would run witless through their house until someone tossed them into the shower and doused them with water to put out the fire. Regardless of this, it is important to realize that fire, although a physical entity that consumes and destroys, fire is also a chemical reaction that produces light and heat, two necessities of human life.
So how can this contradiction be reconciled? The metaphor of fire of course! Fire has been used as the descriptive image to denote passion - passion for whatever particular interest is relevant. Being on fire is an expression that can be used in so many contexts and situations that it is almost a universal term for the experience of being incredibly, poignantly invested in a particular idea, thing, person, or activity.
"I'm on Fire!", shouts this graphic. I'm on fire, perhaps it says, quite literally. Although being on fire in the literal sense would be less fun and also very hot, the fact is that this expression can easily be taken this way, thus giving this design a funny, ironic aspect to it. Irony, the highest form of comedy, is permeating design these days, but most of it is not subtle enough for anyone to feel entertained. The ironic elements in this graphic are not outright enough to pin down, but not subtle enough to disappear completely: the ideal amount.
Fire, like the flames that leap from the matchstick in this graphic, tend to consume that which creates them. Fire is more than just chemicals; it actually seems to be alive. For this reason, it is often personified, and it begins to take the form of a living, breathing being, sucking in the world's combustible compounds and thrusting them into the atmosphere where they can disperse amongst the land. Despite this, fire is incredibly useful and is more than just an idea.
While perhaps Prometheus has disappeared from the planet and gone up to the lost Mount Olympus to ponder the perpetual punishment his theft of fire cost him, but if he were to see the human race now, he would no doubt be pleased that fire has become so central in our culture. This graphic illustrates this point nicely.
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