Definitions by Fearman
democracy
1. Form of government supposedly originating in classical Athens. The term is derived from the Greek words demos (people) and kratein (rule). Even in ancient Athens the "people" excluded women and slaves.
2. Government "of the people, by the people and for the people", to quote Abraham Lincoln.
3. In the present world, whatever suits those controlling the United States military.
2. Government "of the people, by the people and for the people", to quote Abraham Lincoln.
3. In the present world, whatever suits those controlling the United States military.
Dali nap
Extremely brief nap as devised by Catalan Surrealist artist Salvador Dali. He would slide off to sleep in a chair with his arm over the side, holding a spoon over a plate on the floor. The instant he fell asleep, his hand would loosen up and the spoon would fall out and hit the plate with a clatter that woke him up again. He claimed that the brief rest thus afforded him worked wonders.
flashback humour
Indirect breach of the fourth wall at the end of the movie "Fight Club". When the plot comes around to the opening scene again after two hours of flashback, the Narrator (Edward Norton) states he "still hasn't anything to say", and Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) refers to this as "flashback humour".
flashback humour by Fearman December 23, 2007
Humpty Dumpty word
Word used to mean whatever the speaker wants it to mean at the time, usually without further elucidation. From the character of Humpty Dumpty in Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson).
'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone,' it means just what I choose it to mean, neither more nor less.' ...
- Through the Looking Glass
'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone,' it means just what I choose it to mean, neither more nor less.' ...
- Through the Looking Glass
Here come the right-wingers to this referendum. Expect to hear a lot about natural laws, family values and other Humpty Dumpty words.
Humpty Dumpty word by Fearman December 23, 2007
communism
An ideology based essentially on the idea expounded by Karl Marx, that in an ideal society everyone would receive what they needed and would produce according to their capacity. From this idea was elaborated a doctrine whereby a Socialist state would be established that would in time subsume the economic structure of society into itself. At this point the State itself would wither and the new ideal Communist society would emerge. It's surely a beautiful idea on paper, and may even work with small tribal bands ... but just try to apply it to a society made of millions of us naked apes and see what happens.
Marx incidentally suggested that agrarian societies would be more likely to develop in time along such lines; the adoption of Communist doctrine by industrial societies like Leninist-Stalinist Russia may arguably be in itself a perversion of Marx's idea.
Marx incidentally suggested that agrarian societies would be more likely to develop in time along such lines; the adoption of Communist doctrine by industrial societies like Leninist-Stalinist Russia may arguably be in itself a perversion of Marx's idea.
Capitalism is the exploitation of man by man. Communism is the exact reverse. - John Gardner
Any man who is not a Communist at the age of twenty is a fool. Any man who is still a Communist at the age of thirty is an even bigger fool. - George Bernard Shaw.
Communism: right idea, wrong species. - Jermaine Evans
The Catholic and the Communist are alike in assuming that an opponent cannot be both intelligent and sincere. - George Orwell.
A Communist is like a crocodile - when it opens its mouth you cannot tell whether it is trying to smile or preparing to eat you up. - Winston Churchill
Any man who is not a Communist at the age of twenty is a fool. Any man who is still a Communist at the age of thirty is an even bigger fool. - George Bernard Shaw.
Communism: right idea, wrong species. - Jermaine Evans
The Catholic and the Communist are alike in assuming that an opponent cannot be both intelligent and sincere. - George Orwell.
A Communist is like a crocodile - when it opens its mouth you cannot tell whether it is trying to smile or preparing to eat you up. - Winston Churchill