From: Michael Eldred (artefact@t-online.de)
Date: Tue Feb 04 2003 - 11:57:29 EST
Cologne 04-Feb-2003 Re: [OPE-L:8425] Christopher Arthur schriebMon, 3 Feb 2003 23:52:26 +0000: > >Re Michael E's [8421]: > > > >> Individualism should not be confused with egoism or capriciousness, > >> which often happens. In the West, the notion of the individual has > >> deep historical roots which go back further than the modern age > >> of human subjectivity to -- you guessed it -- to the Greeks. The > >> distinction between the _idiotaes_ (private individual, 'idiot', some > >> who 'owns himself') and the _politaes_ (member of the polis) is > >> fundamental for Greek thinking on social life. _idios_ means 'one's own, > >> pertaining to oneself, peculiar to oneself, private'. An _idiotaes_ is > >> someone who is 'his own person', independent, who belongs to > >> him/herself and not to another or others. > > > >As you know, the modern meaning of the term 'idiot' is quite > >different from the ancient Greek meaning of idiot. Indeed, there > >even seems to be an inversion in the meaning of the term to the > >extent that one who is independent, critical, and thinks for him or > >herself is only identified by the dominant culture as being 'idiotic' > >in the modern sense if she or he puts forward a perspective or > >embraces a way of living that stands apart or is in radical opposition > >to mainstream culture. Thus, mainstream thought often fails to > >recognize the logic of opposing perspectives and instead dismisses > >those perspectives as idiotic. This raises the question (why I do not > >know the answer to): when, where and how did this change in meaning > >of 'idiot' take place? > > > >LaFargue defended the right to be lazy; should we defend the right > >to be idiotic? > > > >Solidarity, Jerry > > The change was relatively recent. Marx (in the CM?) refers to rural idiocy. > There was a discussion once about this (Draper? Carver?) when it was argued > Marx had in mind not stupidity but the separation of those in rural > isolation from what was going on in the world. I assume the city dwellers > introduced the prejudicial use. > > Chris A > > 17 Bristol Road, Brighton, BN2 1AP, England The pejorative connotation was also there in the ancient Greek world. Liddell and Scott has under _idiotaes_: [I] a private person, an individual, _xumpheronto kai polesi kai idiotais_ Thuc., etc. [II] one in a private station, opp. to one taking part in public affairs, Hdt., attic; opp. to _strataegos_, a private soldier, Xen. [2] a common man, plebeian, Plut. [3] as adj., _id. bios_ a private station, homely way of life, Plat. [III] one who has no professional knowledge, as we say "a layman," _iatroj kai idiotaes_ Thuc.; opp. to _poiaetaes_, a prose-writer, Plat.; to a trained soldier, Thuc.; to a skilled workman, Plat. [2] c. gen. rei, unpractised, unskilled in a thing, Lat. expers, rudis, _iatrikaes_ Plat.; also, _id. kata ti_ Xen. [3] generally, a raw hand, an ignorant, ill-informed man, Xen., Dem. [IV] _idiotai_ one's own countrymen, opp. to _xenoi_, Ar. Michael _-_-_-_-_-_-_- artefact text and translation _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- made by art _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ http://www.webcom.com/artefact/ _-_-_-_-artefact@webcom.com _-_ _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ Dr Michael Eldred -_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
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