The study of the Western world using the analytic frameworks developed for Sovietology and Kremlinology: treating Western institutions as systems to be decoded from the outside, attentive to propaganda, elite networks, and the gap between official ideology (democracy, freedom) and actual practice (lobbying, surveillance, military intervention). Westology rejects the assumption that Western societies are inherently transparent or self‑explanatory. Instead, it reads between the lines of press releases, tracks think tank connections, and analyzes how power operates through seemingly neutral institutions. It’s a critical lens that turns the tools of Cold War area studies back on the West itself.
Example: “Her Westology of NATO examined how public statements about ‘defense’ masked internal negotiations over arms sales and geopolitical influence—Kremlinology for Brussels.”
While our lifespan is the number of years we will live, our healthspan is the number of healthy years we will have and our sexspan is is the number of years we will continue to be healthy enough to continue having an active sex life.
A lighthearted reaction upon receiving disappointing news of some sort. Usually something that isn't a particularly a big deal, esp. when it primarily affects someone else - sort of a mild schadenfreude. Sometimes doubled or tripled, and possibly said in a sing-songy voice for added comedic effect to imitate a muted trumpet, which is how the meme originated.
You didn't get any napkins with your takeout pork fried rice? Womp womp.
A phenomenon in film/television series, most notably streaming series, where the main premise is drawn out to such a point that it takes an entire season or more to get the parts of the series the audience is actually interested in seeing.
For example, if a series is titled "Surf Dracula," a majority of viewers would tune in expecting to see Dracula surfing by the first or second episode. However, the entire first season would instead be tedious padding and backstory before finally ending with Dracula surfing in the last five minutes of the season finale.
I watched "Smallville" on Netflix the other day. Dude, it was ten seasons of filler before he finally flew! Major Surf Dracula Syndrome!
Finding your way back to the truth by fixing on one verified fact and working out from there, the way you navigate by the North Star when everything around you is spinning.
Rumours were flying everywhere, so she went northstarring — one checked fact at a time.