When did Cecil Adams expect the fight against ignorance to stop? Clearly between 1973 and when I first read this slogan as a undergraduate in 1991…
Cecil, despite being something of a sociopath, believes (or once believed) in the goodness of humanity.
I think it was his idea that once he made the methods of ignorance eradication evident, the Teeming Millions would pick up the ball and run with it, eradicating ignorance in no time at all.
While many TM have (witness this forum), others have not (witness this forum).
So, Cecil’s holy work continues, on to a future time we know not when.
Sociopath? He gone postal or something?
Or did you mean a misanthrope?
I think that Cecil’s official designation is “recluse”. In other words, he doesn’t get out much.
That being said, wasn’t ignorance expected to be conquered before 1991? Was Cecil (shudder) wrong in his ability to enthuse the Teeming Millions?
“Sociopath” is basically a synonym for “misanthrope,” though the former generally applies to a (sometimes treatable) psychological condition whereas the latter usually applies to being a generalized asshole. The usage you’re trying to give it is incorrect; you mean “psychopath.” And so do the millions of other people who say “sociopath” instead.
LL
How very clever of you to be able to tell other people what they are “trying” to say. Poor old dtilque and poor old manhattan. Still, I’m sure they are wiser, now that they have been told, as are the rest of us.
Anyway, I rather think that your post was made somewhat tongue-in cheek, so I suppose it is meant too be quite amusing really.
sociopath, n., a person, as a psychopath, whose behavior is antisocial and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility or social conscience.
misanthrope n. a hater of mankind
*Originally posted by LazarusLong42 *
“Sociopath” is basically a synonym for “misanthrope,” though the former generally applies to a (sometimes treatable) psychological condition whereas the latter usually applies to being a generalized asshole. The usage you’re trying to give it is incorrect; you mean “psychopath.” And so do the millions of other people who say “sociopath” instead.
From http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary
Main Entry: so·cio·path
Pronunciation: 'sO-sE-&-"path, 'sO-sh(E-)&-
Function: noun
Date: 1930
: PSYCHOPATHMain Entry: psy·cho·path
Pronunciation: 'sI-k&-"path
Function: noun
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary
Date: 1885
: a mentally ill or unstable person; especially : a person having a psychopathic personalityMain Entry: mis·an·thrope
Pronunciation: 'mi-s&n-"thrOp
Function: noun
Etymology: Greek misanthrOpos hating mankind, from misein to hate + anthrOpos human being
Date: 1683
: a person who hates or distrusts mankind
Which describes Cecil best?