Stoic

Pronunciation:
\ˈstō-ik\

Definition:
one apparently or professedly indifferent to pleasure or pain

Etymology:
Middle English, from Latin stoicus, from Greek stōïkos, literally, of the portico, from Stoa (Poikilē) the Painted Portico, portico at Athens where Zeno taught

First Known Use: 14th century

This is an interesting word. I would say that Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation was stoic, but that would be incorrect because he didn't possess emotions. Stoics instead thought that emotions clouded judgment, hindered good decision-making and led to bad behavior. As a matter of fact, they thought the measure of a man was not in what he said but rather how he acted.
 
The term stoic is often misused today to indicate an absence of emotion, as in my example above, but that is not what the early Stoics meant at all. They meant to experience emotions, but to control them; following instead a path of reason, thinking, and logic. Stoics channeled their emotions to produce wisdom and inner peace, as opposed to acting based on feeling. Sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

Cynic

Pronunciation:
\ˈsi-nik\

Definition:
a faultfinding captious critic; especially : one who believes that human conduct is motivated wholly by self-interest

Etymology:
Middle French or Latin, Middle French cynique, from Latin cynicus, from Greek kynikos, literally, like a dog, from kyn-, kyōn dog

First Known Use: 1542

An interesting and misunderstood word. This was a train of thought in ancient Greece, whereby you reached knowledge, peace, etc. through living a completely unmaterialistic lifestyle. They sought to be self-sufficient, living within the confines of nature. Many of the Cynics ideas and teachings were brought to early Christianity.
 
Although Cynics eschewed materialism, they still lived within society, completely indifferent to taunts, ridicule and pressure to conform. Think John the Baptist in his hair-cloak eating locusts and wild honey.
 
The modern meaning of cynicism is a distrust of another's motives. Quite a difference from the ancient movement. What caused this progression in meaing? Around the 19th century, as the Industrial Age was in full swing and materialism growing, the negative aspects of cynicism became the focus. That led to a general disposition to disbelieve in the sincerity or goodness of human motives and actions. Greed, deception and corruption reigned. Everything began to look like a wolf in sheep's clothing. Unfortunate really, because today, there is nothing positive in being called a cynic.

Origin of phrase

When I was in typing class in high school, we had to practice over and over (and over) the following sentence:

Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.

Where did this phrase originate? Evidently, it began its life as "...to come to the aid of their party." Explanation:

From the typewriter it came, and to the typewriter it shall return: the phrase was proposed as a typing drill by a teacher named Charles E. Weller. Incidentally, many typing books now use the variant "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country" instead, because it exactly fills out a 70-space line if you put a period at the end.

Now you know!

What's that Demic?

What is the difference in endemic, epidemic, and pandemic.


Endemic describes something belonging exclusively or confined to a particular place.

An epidemic is usually used in relation to a disease, and means affecting many persons at the same time, and spreading from person to person in a locality where the disease is not permanently prevalent.
A pandemic is also usually related to a disease; one which is prevalent throughout an entire country,

continent, or the whole world; epidemic over a large area.

When anything breaks in the healthcare area, the media seem to jump in with both feet to warn, inform, and advise. Take the Swine Flu, for example. It was no more dangerous than the regular flu, but it seemed that it was stronger, more deadly and more prevalent, much in thanks to the media. It was, by definition, as epidemic, but it would appear that so is ignorance. :)

Ilk

Pronunciation:
ilk

Definition:
family, class, or kind: he and all his ilk.

In modern use, ilk is used in phrases such as of his ilk, of that ilk, to mean ‘type’ or ‘sort.’ The use arose out of a misunderstanding of the earlier, Scottish use in the phrase of that ilk, where it means ‘of the same name or place.’ For this reason, some traditionalists regard the modern use as incorrect. It is, however, the only common current use and is now part of standard English.

Etymology:
before 900; Middle English ilke, Old English ilca  (pronoun) the same, equivalent to demonstrative i  (cognate with Gothic is  he, Latin is  that) + a reduced form of līc like
 
First Known Use of ILK: 1790

It's interesting to me that this word has been misused so much that it's misusage is now considered correct. I may have to actually stop using this word in opposition.

Enmity

Pronunciation:
\ˈen-mə-tē\

Definition:
positive, active, and typically mutual hatred or ill will

Etymology:
Middle English enmite, from Anglo-French enemité, enemisté, from enemi enemy

First Known Use: 13th century

Excellent word! This word came up today in Sunday School:
 
Romans 8:7-8 (KJV)
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
 
Basically, The Message:
Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn't pleased at being ignored.

Not just natural enemies, but enemies who are actively living out their hatred for one another.

Etymology

I use the term etymology in each post, and it occurs to me that the definition may not be clear to some.

Pronunciation:
ĕt"ə-mŏl'ə-jē

Definition:
1. The study of the historical development of languages, particularly as manifested in individual words.

2. An account of the origin and historical development of a word.

Not to be confused with entomology (“the study of insects”) or etiology (“the study of causes or origins”).

Etymology:
Middle English ethimologie, from Anglo-French, from Latin etymologia, from Greek, from etymon + -logia -logy

First Known Use: 14th century