Thursday, June 17, 2010

In one word...


I discovered something today morning, Nothing like gravity or relativity. Just a small observation.

That every person has a basic flavor. Or essence (as Jonathan Stroud would have it). By this I mean each person can essentially be described by one word. Just one word. To describe all actions, thoughts, principles- literally everything- about the person.

I had tried to do this long ago- just to see if I hit upon anything- tried to describe each person I know in a single word. A word to describe what impression I had of that person. I wasn't all that successful at that time, but today's task, I think, should be possible. The difference here is that this one word should not be what that person reminds you of. It should be a word that explains his complete nature. 

For example, I know someone whose nature, in all its totality,  can be described as "Argument". This person would not listen to half a sentence of yours without arguing. In fact, even when he is talking, or writing a program, or any other such thing, you would see how his mind falls back to "argument" in every step.

Another person I know can be described by "I-don't-want-to-be-blamed".* This person, while having a lot of attributes, is always trying to ensure he is not wrong in anybody's eyes. I am not saying he tries to portray himself as good etc, he really is a good person as far as I know, but even while simply talking, or maybe even thinking his mind always goes back to this precept. Any stand he takes on any issue and any example he might give can be derived from, or at least, traced back to this.

I have a lot more examples- but the last I will mention here is someone I talked to yesterday. And I must mention this person because yesterday's conversation was what triggered my discovery itself. His word was "Action". Whatever you spoke to him, his mind would automatically go to what could be "done" about it. You could talk to him abstract philosophy and still his mind was continuously asking "anything to be done here?" However much u tried to divert it to concepts or theories, it always leaped back to action.

So, what do you think? Can all attributes of a person be described in one word? Try thinking of someone close to you... Or someone you know very well... And try to describe them in one word... You might discover a lot about their nature. And maybe even yours!!

*I know that's not really a single word... Writers' license u see ;)

P.S- Someone just asked me what word best describes me. I have found the word, but I don't think I ought to reveal it. Like they say, some mysteries of the world are better left unsolved! ;)

8 comments:

  1. Maybe every post can be too!
    "Whoa" :-O

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  2. "Your comment has been saved and will be visible after blog owner approval."
    Why?

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  3. @ akhil:
    Thanks. And why I am moderating comments- Not really to moderate- but just to know when people comment. When it wasn't moderated I never got to know who commented on what- this way I reply imm :D
    In any case, till date I haven't rejected any comment, except some spam!!

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  4. i never knew u used an illegal writer's license ;)

    do you have any means to prove this sensational discovery of yours?

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  5. @uttara:
    "writers' license" always means illegal license ;)
    And only theorems can be proved! Axioms/postulates are self-evident- we can only give examples that follow the rule. Or maybe, you can find an exception to disprove me! :P
    (I bluff well, don't I?! ;) )

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  6. mayb u do, mayb u don't. but i do kno 1 thing - disproving a quick-witted person like you is 'mushkil nahin, nAmunkin'. I shall therefore 'follow the rule' if you answer just 2 more sandbox-questions of mine. first, how is it that such a knowledgeable person like you failed to claim the discovery as an axiom/postulate before i peeped into your world of blogs? and the 2nd, can you give a single proper english word which means "I-don't-want-to-be-blamed"?

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  7. @ Uttara:
    1) I never claimed this to be an axiom cos I never talked about the nature of this idea. I only presented it as a thought, an idea, a seed- not as a theory (which would require proof) or an axiom (which is self-evident and cannot be proven!) Of course, I knew this had to be an axiom (at least so that I don't have to give proof ;)), but I didn't state so merely bcos my intent was to just sow this seed in other people's minds, not gift them a full grown plant- figuratively speaking! Anyway, that was a good question!

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  8. @ Uttara again:
    2) The whole reason for my not using a single word is because I couldn't think of any immediately! Of course, by now I have the time to Google or something and find that "single word" but I don't want to fake such knowledge. Anyway, I never prided myself for a good vocab, only for a good sense of language- which are entirely different things. So, let me be honest about it, I don't know! Or I am not able to retrieve the apposite word from my passive vocab. :( And I am most welcome to anyone who'll point the word out to me! :)
    Anyway, I seem to have found the reader every writer dreams of- one who can ask questions that u ve to think abt b4 answering! :)

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