ThePhysopher's definitions

Hypercapitalism

Hypercapitalism is the brusque and blunt way in which today's super billionaires exercise their power. Examples include Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

The purchase of Twitter through Elon Musk was a typical act of hypercapitalism. This is power through a gigantic amount of money.

by ThePhysopher November 21, 2022

Lateral Copy

Sharing an article from the Internet while bypassing a paywall.
If you are a member and receive an interesting article, but your friend cannot read it because they are not a member, what do you do? You copy the article “by hand”, put it back together nicely and send it to the friend. This is a lateral copy.

Another great article that J. will be interested in. But the link is useless to him: he's not a member. I'll have to make him a lateral copy again.

by ThePhysopher September 25, 2025

Woodware

This is a derogatory word for books, especially novels. The paper of books is made of wood and can burn like wood.

I always tell my wife that the books she reads are just woodware. Reading them is wasted time.

Ian McEwan said that many novels are just housewife gossip. I would say these books are woodware.

by ThePhysopher July 24, 2024

zen-alcoholic

when you like drinking alcohol per se but regard a teaspoon of whisky as the right dose to draw the pleasure of drinking. The tablespoon is then at the boundary to alcoholism. You stay within the field of Zen combining the pleasures of body and mind.

My wife and me, we are zen-alcoholics. It is our zen philosophy to enjoy whisky etc. but because alcohol with wine at lunch and at dinner is accumulating through the day, we restrict to the enjoyable minimum. This gives the pleasure of nice drinks plus the good feeling of self-mastery, it is just zen.

by ThePhysopher February 18, 2019

Willy-nilly believer

A careless believer. Someone who hears a statement or story and takes it for granted without considering the implications of that story. In religion, this is the belief in miracles as the multiplication of bread or the belief in an afterlife of a human after having seen the macabre decay of body (and brain). The opposite is an illuminated person who considers the plausibility and the side effects of a story.

There is no sense to discuss this with her. She just believes that she hears the spirits of the deceased talking, just willy-nilly. She is a willy-nilly believer in many things. Maybe she should take a course in physics. Or in psychology.

by ThePhysopher October 6, 2019

menuphobia

The fear of having to make a choice, for example from a menu in a restaurant or different items to choose from in a shop.

Origin: Phobia from ancient Greek phóbos, “fear”

I prefer a single dish of the day in a restaurant or a fixed menu suggestion to a large menu. The choice makes me uncomfortable or even anxious. I know, that's menuphobia .

I often come back from shopping empty-handed. It was my menuphobia again. I couldn't make up my mind.

The more similar the alternatives are, the harder it is to make a decision. This is one reason for menuphobia.

by ThePhysopher April 22, 2024

adultgram

An image or a video of adult content. You can only dare to send it to your male friends.
Be careful not to forward it to the family.

The adjective is „adultgrammable“, i.e. stuff worth to be sent to (male) friends.

Formed after Instagram and instagrammable

Oh, this is a great adultgram to be sent to the friends! But of course not to their wives ...
This soft porno video is a really nice adultgram.
It is very adultgrammable - thanks!

by ThePhysopher October 22, 2020