Redefining misanthropy for a fresh generation. Standard posts begin with a definition from Ambrose Bierce's The Devil's Dictionary followed by a modern adjustment. Miscellany on Wednesday and storytelling on Saturday.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Special Guest Sar
Sar, the co-author of Sound Destruction provided the second Special Guest Wednesday definition. Her contribution to this here Lexicography:
Knee-jerk, adj. Foregoing the luxury of reason and integrity, preferring a physical or mental exertion predicated on deceit often with dire consequences.
Knee-jerk, n. Aerobics for Politicians.
About Sar: Sar and her brother, Strider (not her husband, she'll have you know) create Sound Destruction. Their site mixes up pop culture, amusing news, and political expression from a Democratic perspective which avoids knee-jerk liberalism in favor of profoundly personal responses. Along with Sar and Strider, Mark Twain is also a frequent contributor, which adds a dead smart-aleck dimension that I obviously favor. Like many of my other favorite sites, the comments section is always rich because both Sar and Strider invite and engage their readers.
Sar is married with two beautiful daughters, a blue gal living the red-state ideal. Her wholesomeness makes an excellent contrast with her renegade brother's stridence.
Thanks to Sar for a wonderful contribution.
How you can be special, too: I'm building a list of contributors for future Wednesday posts. To guest-write a definition either leave me a comment below or email me through the address on my profile. Immediately after posting Wednesday's guest contribution, I will email someone from that list with a word not in Bierce's dictionary, for redefining. The only rules are these:
1. No profanity.
2. Please keep the length reasonable.
3. If the person I select doesn't respond within 48 hours, I will choose another person and hold the first. Gotta feed the beast.
Thanks to all who have responded.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
15 comments:
Great job, Sar. I'm heading over to your site now. As another blue gal in red state I'm sure I shall relate.
Weirsdo, you'll love it.
Knee-Jerk: A self defense move
Thanks for the invite and your very kind words, Doug. It was a an enjoyable challenge creating something worthy of publication on on your site.
And thanks to everyone who deems this definition worthy of serving as food for the fodder we all enjoy in the comments that Doug so aptly hosts for us.
Ouch, Manjusha!
Sar, this is already my favorite thing about this site. Thanks for making it so much fun. Food for fodder is fertilizer, by the way.
Good job SAR!
Although I thought a Knee-jerk was something you did to a guy who tried to molest you.
Good Definition.
I am an apprentice for now so I abstain from volunteerism.
Hence self defence, tan lucy pez! :)
Thanks Weirdso! Hope you enjoy your visit and glad to hear we have something else in common. :)
Thanks Tan Lucy, I somehow knew you'd appreciate this one! ;)
Thanks Alice. I consider Doug's site here a great place for mental aerobics (not to be confused iwth political aerobics!) which in turn gave me the confidence to give this guest posting stint a shot. So maybe we'll be seeing your definition here someday too. :)
And fertilizer can be crap, so what are you trying to say, Doug?
I thought that knee-jerk was someone who was a soda-jerk-in-training.
Tan Lucy, that's another good definition and I suspected what Manjusha meant.
Alice, let me know when you change your mind.
Now, now Manjusha, there's room for us all on this corner.
Sar, I'm so glad you enjoy this site. Thanks again for being part of it.
And here's Merriam-Webster's definition of fodder: "1 : something fed to domestic animals; especially : coarse food for cattle, horses, or sheep" Food for fodder is fertilizer. You said it, not me. I thought it was a wonderful definition. Def. 2 is worse, by the way.
dddragon, of course, a knee-high-soda-jerk. So when can I add you and your mom to the list?
I'll pop in and visit Sar.
I will be a guest reader. I will also be a regular commenter. I look forward to reading the genius of your Wednesday picks.
Um, that's def. 2 of fodder not knee-jerk.
Jamie Dawn, the Wednesday ones are the good ones.
Actonbell, you'll love it. Thanks for that comment.
Post a Comment