This paper aims to clarify and discuss the reasons and limits of three rather popular metaphors that are used to speak of today's complex social and cultural fabric, through references to cultural anthropology, biology and genetics. In her analysis, the author considers not only the linguistic and semantic dimension of each metaphor, but also the pragmatic consequences each entails for the field of intercultural education. In her conclusion, she points out that exploring the many facets of metaphors is a form of intercultural education as it helps to deconstruct some of the current prejudices and stereotypes, and furthermore it encourages a disposition to creativity and intellectual openness that intrinsically belongs to the interculture. (Contains 11 notes.)