Tuesday, November 6, 2007

dysfunction junction

The point at which feverish quest for prestige and upward mobility meets dwindling or otherwise anemic experiential knowledge. Commonly associated with a dissonant delusion of omniscience.

That one I made up. This one I did not.
Prestige:
1 : standing or estimation in the eyes of people : weight or credit in general opinion 2 : commanding position in people's minds
Etymology:
French, from Middle French, conjuror's trick, illusion, from Latin praestigiae, plural, conjuror's tricks, from praestringere to graze, blunt, constrict, from prae- + stringere to bind tight...
I love words. I could kiss that etymology.

2 comments:

Leila said...

so, prestige is a trick? no!!!

erin said...

quite a shocker, eh?