Why is it normal to say "rubs me the wrong way" and "turns me off" when talking about everyday things?

I remember the 60’s sort of…. The saying “Turn on, tune in, drop out…” was from LSD guru Timothy Leary. Although he talked a lot about drugs, his message was by no means exclusively about getting high and vegging one’s life away. The “Turn on” part was more about awakening to pleasure and beautiful things around you. I’ve often heard that phrase used to mean first exposure, as in: “That college art class turned me on to art forms I never realized existed!” Parts of that colloquialism have survived the 60’s and 70’s and have entered into common usage.

Rubs me the wrong way always brought to mind an image of a cat. If the cat is in your lap, say, and you pet it along the direction of the fur growth, kitty will usually purr and be very contented. But if you rub (kitty) the wrong way, kitty’s reaction will not be so nice.

I agree with @Strauss . You do still occasionally hear “turns me on” used although it was more from the 60s but I’ve never heard “rubs me the right way” in usage at all. Not everything has an antithesis.

Well, usually “Turns me on” is referring to something sexual. “Rubs me the right way” just sounds weird. It sounds faintly sexual too.

Trump’s behavior at the Town Hall debate between him and Hillary definitely rubbed me the wrong way. Some people, like my husband, didn’t really notice how threatening he was.

@rockfan, I’ve used both expressions for many decades and never once considered them sexual—and I’m a writer! I’m guessing you’re into texting and tweeting.

In personal conversations with close friends these phrases might crop up. In conversations with acquaintances, no.