# True story - trying to cheat at the game of life **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 1, 2014, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620 "2014-01-01T07:07:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/41 "2014-01-07T08:14:57Z")
From hospital records: > [@](#): > > [on January 28]…he reported to have not slept for about 36 hours and expressing paranoid thoughts re people “interfering” with his work on the internet. Since then [name] has had PRN medication daily however his mood has become more elevated, his behavior is intrusive & he is expressing paranoid ideas e.g. killing insects because they are “spying on me”, believes that other residents are “vampires”, “werewolves”, etc. [I have no memory of that last bit] …he has been eating coffee (dry) in large amounts and has become increasingly more paranoid, he is requesting to go out on elave and is resisting staff requests to remain on site > [@](#): > > [February 2] …states he thinks he is god and satan. He is having trouble putting sentences together. He states there is nothing wrong with him. He has made verbal threats to harm others ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/42 "2014-01-07T08:30:21Z")
astro: > [@](#): > > …The name “Lucent,” an evocative real word meaning **light-bearing** , and the abstract red “ring of innovation” symbol met these strategic and and emotional goals in dramatic fashion… Notice that there are many possible definitions of the world “Lucent”… e.g. like Ferret Herder said it could mean “glowing” or “clear (translucent).” All three of those definitions have NOTHING to do with lucifer. I looked up “lightbearer” (based on light-bearing) > **[Lightbearer](https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Lightbearer)** > > Definition, Synonyms, Translations of Lightbearer by The Free Dictionary it says “(redirected from Lightbearer)” and it goes to “Lucifer”! Note that that site has no link/defintion for light-bearing. [http://www.experienceproject.com/question-answer/Does-Anyone-Else-Know-That-Lucifer-Means-Light-bearing/582314](http://www.experienceproject.com/question-answer/Does-Anyone-Else-Know-That-Lucifer-Means-Light-bearing/582314) This says “Does anyone else know that Lucifer means **light-bearing**?” i.e. the EXACT word used in the quote (light-bearing) Like I mentioned before, “there is obviously a strong theme about Dante’s Inferno and circles of hell… and Lucifer is the main character in that” Lucent’s big project, Inferno, uses 4 terms related to circles of hell in Dante’s Inferno (Inferno, Dis, Styx and Limbo). > **[Inferno (operating system)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inferno_(operating_system))** > > Inferno is a distributed operating system started at Bell Labs and now developed and maintained by Vita Nuova Holdings as free software under the MIT License. Inferno was based on the experience gained with Plan 9 from Bell Labs, and the further research of Bell Labs into operating systems, languages, on-the-fly compilers, graphics, security, networking and portability. The name of the operating system, many of its associated programs, and that of the current company, were inspired by Dante Infer... That quote says that the “ring of innovation” is merely abstract despite how closely it resembles the enso: > **[Ensō](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enso)** > > In Zen art, an ensō (円相, "circular form") is a circle hand-drawn in one or two uninhibited brushstrokes to express the Zen mind, which is associated with enlightenment, emptiness, freedom, and the state of no-mind. > The ensō symbolizes absolute enlightenment, strength, elegance, the universe (Dharmadhatu), and mu (emptiness). It is characterised by a minimalism influenced by Zen Buddhist philosophy, and Japanese aesthetics. An empty circle also appears in the ten oxherding pictures which is a s... It didn’t explain the color red being used - though influences such as Inferno, Circles of Hell and Lucifer have a very strong connection to the color red. I suppose Ferret Herder would still insist that Lucent still has absolutely nothing to do with Lucifer. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/43 "2014-01-07T14:31:17Z")
Are you taking your medication? ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/44 "2014-01-07T15:00:24Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > I suppose Ferret Herder would still insist that Lucent still has absolutely nothing to do with Lucifer. It’s true that it is very clear to all of us that Lucent has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Lucifer. It’s also very that their Inferno OS was inspired by Dante’s classic Divine Comedy, and that they wove references to hell into many components of the OS. What I’m not clear about is what you think is the significance of the Inferno OS? It’s not like it was subtle - they clearly went with a hell theme deliberately. Do you think a magical Satan was involved vs. some marketing and engineering folks making a weird branding decision? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/45 "2014-01-07T15:26:06Z")
Exactly. We’ve called some background computing processes [daemons](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemon_(computing)) for decades (originally a reference to a thought experiment involving a theoretical being sorting particles), so it isn’t scary or meaningful to have a computer system invoking such imagery. It’s closer to an old-school in-joke for programmers, nothing more. But I’m sure you know that’s just what They want us to think, because you can’t be reasoned out of this belief. So I will just sincerely urge you to show this work to your therapist or psychiatrist, and start taking your meds on a proper schedule if you haven’t been. Human brains are remarkable at making patterns out of unrelated stuff. Sometimes I hear faint music in the shower, that goes away when the shower turns off; this is a common reaction when “white noise” sounds are going on. The thing is, I know it doesn’t mean anything. Same as if there’s a thunderstorm on Thursday or if someone in the computing field makes a reference to something d(a)emonic. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/46 "2014-01-07T15:53:33Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > I suppose Ferret Herder would still insist that Lucent still has absolutely nothing to do with Lucifer. No, I fully understand the etymology of the words “lucent” and “Lucifer,” which were formed (respectively) hundreds, and thousands, of years ago out of a dead language, Latin, going back to the root “lux” for light. I’m saying that has absolutely zero **real meaning or concrete relevance** , no real-world consequences. You’re making connections and claiming that Means Something Important because that’s what your brain is telling you. The word “lucid” also comes from the same root as these words, but doesn’t relate to demonic things **either**. :dubious: Some people have jokingly called their dog [Cerberus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerberus) but that doesn’t mean their dog is demonic. And I’m sure people named Mary or Jesus don’t meet the standards of their examples in the Bible, just like little girls named Faith or Chastity (!) or Prudence or Patience often similarly fail. Because naming something doesn’t make it so. Again, I **strongly** urge you to speak to your doctor, and to show him/her what you wrote and try to explain your reasoning. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/47 "2014-01-07T17:14:41Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > It’s not like it was subtle - they clearly went with a hell theme deliberately. Do you think a magical Satan was involved vs. some marketing and engineering folks making a weird branding decision? It does seem rather strange that Lucent chose such an overt “Hell Theme” for their product. I’m not suggesting they were devil worshippers – quite the opposite – but such a decision does risk alienating potential consumers who _do_ believe in and fear “Satan”, and represent a rather large percentage of the market. It’s not like they were making heavy metal music or an FPS based on Mars or something. Hmm, maybe that explains why Lucent nearly went belly-up, got bought out by Alcatel, and changed their logo from a devil-red paint circle to a [royal purple Ouroborus with palsy.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Alcatel_Lucent_Logo.svg) :rolleyes: > [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Again, I **strongly** urge you to speak to your doctor, and to show him/her what you wrote and try to explain your reasoning. Seconded. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/48 "2014-01-07T18:22:57Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Human brains are remarkable at making patterns out of unrelated stuff. Sometimes I hear faint music in the shower, that goes away when the shower turns off; this is a common reaction when “white noise” sounds are going on. The thing is, I know it doesn’t mean anything. Same as if there’s a thunderstorm on Thursday or if someone in the computing field makes a reference to something d(a)emonic. They just as easily can be utterly oblivious to what is right in front of them. C.f. [that gorilla ball video experiment](http://theinvisiblegorilla.com/gorilla_experiment.html). Just saying. Since I am a birder, here’s another one. Years ago I was completely ignorant to any distinctions between seabirds-they were all just “seagulls” to me, even the [ones with the long orange](http://birds.audubon.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/bird-quarter/species_images/Royal_Tern_m17-47-177_l.jpg) beaks that utterly ignored any bread I might have fed to the “normal” ones. But I have absolutely no memory of them until after I became a birder, even tho I know they were around my life and right in my face for significant stretches. Graceful, beautiful, but not part of my worldview at all. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/49 "2014-01-07T20:00:53Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > It does seem rather strange that Lucent chose such an overt “Hell Theme” for their product. I’m not suggesting they were devil worshippers – quite the opposite – but such a decision does risk alienating potential consumers who _do_ believe in and fear “Satan”, and represent a rather large percentage of the market. It’s not like they were making heavy metal music or an FPS based on Mars or something. I’ve worked either directly or indirectly in marketing technology products my entire career and I agree it’s a really strange choice. The Web browser is named Charon. Who would want a Web browser named after the ferryman for the dead souls? But as you point out, it’s just bad marketing, not Satanic or conspiratorial. ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/50 "2014-01-07T21:21:09Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > “One source inside Lucent says that the logo is actually a Zen Buddhist symbol for “eternal truth”, the Enso, turned 90 degrees and modified. Another source says it represents the mythic ouroboros, a snake holding its tail in its mouth…” A guy who worked at the company when they changed the name (can’t remember from what) the employees called the new logo the “coffee stain”. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/51 "2014-01-08T02:16:25Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > It’s true that **it is very clear to all of us that Lucent has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Lucifer**. According to Landor, [http://www.corporatebrandmatrix.com/cases.asp?ca\_id=47&case=Lucent%20Technologies%201996](http://www.corporatebrandmatrix.com/cases.asp?ca_id=47&case=Lucent%20Technologies%201996) It says Lucent means **“light-bearing”** … which also Lucifer means (“lux” for light, “ferre” for “to carry”) - bearing is a synonym of “carry”. Like I also said, there are easy to find places on the Internet that link “light-bearing” or “light-bearer” to Lucifer. " e.g. [http://www.experienceproject.com/que...bearing/582314](http://www.experienceproject.com/que...bearing/582314) > [@](#): > > This says “Does anyone else know that **Lucifer** means **light-bearing?** ” “absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Lucifer”??? And that is just one of the links. > [@](#): > > It’s also very that their Inferno OS was inspired by Dante’s classic Divine Comedy, and that they wove references to hell into many components of the OS. So then it isn’t much of a stretch that they **might** use the main character of that in the name of their company. > [@](#): > > …they clearly went with a hell theme deliberately… I agree! Then their name could also have the same theme! > [@](#): > > Do you think a magical Satan was involved vs. some marketing and engineering folks making a weird branding decision? Not at all!!! ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/52 "2014-01-08T02:19:52Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > Are you taking your medication? Yes ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/53 "2014-01-08T02:25:57Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Exactly. We’ve called some background computing processes [daemons](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemon_(computing)) for decades (originally a reference to a thought experiment involving a theoretical being sorting particles), so it isn’t scary or meaningful to have a computer system invoking such imagery. It’s closer to an old-school in-joke for programmers, nothing more. “Lucifer” could be an in-joke too… > [@](#): > > But I’m sure you know that’s just what They want us to think, because you can’t be reasoned out of this belief. **Just because I had one set of beliefs when I was unwell (believing in the supernatural) it doesn’t mean I still believe that!** > [@](#): > > So I will just sincerely urge you to show this work to your therapist or psychiatrist, and start taking your meds on a proper schedule if you haven’t been. I saw a psychiatrist two days ago and also mentioned the Lucent company and how people on the messageboards won’t agree that it could have a connection to Dante’s Inferno… > [@](#): > > Human brains are remarkable at making patterns out of unrelated stuff. And it is remarkable that people here won’t agree that there is a **possibility** that there is a connection between “light-bearing” (Lucent) and Dante’s Inferno’s main character (Lucifer). > [@](#): > > …someone in the computing field makes a reference to something d(a)emonic. Are you saying that Lucent may be a reference to the demonic? ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/54 "2014-01-08T02:33:55Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > No, I fully understand the etymology of the words “lucent” and “Lucifer,” which were formed (respectively) hundreds, and thousands, of years ago out of a dead language, Latin, going back to the root “lux” for light. It also includes “ferre” for “to carry” (or “to bear”)… and the official source of the definition of Lucent says **light-bearing**. > [@](#): > > I’m saying that has absolutely zero **real meaning or concrete relevance** , no real-world consequences. I currently don’t believe in the supernatural… I’m just saying that maybe the big influence of Dante’s Inferno included the name of the company. > [@](#): > > …The word “lucid” also comes from the same root as these words, but doesn’t relate to demonic things **either**. :dubious: But the word is said to mean “light-bearing”! Not lucid, etc. > [@](#): > > Some people have jokingly called their dog [Cerberus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerberus) but that doesn’t mean their dog is demonic. It means that the **name** has an origin related to demonic concepts - that’s all I’m saying about Lucent. > [@](#): > > And I’m sure people named Mary or Jesus don’t meet the standards of their examples in the Bible, just like little girls named Faith or Chastity (!) or Prudence or Patience often similarly fail. Because naming something doesn’t make it so. Are you able to admit that **maybe** Lucent’s name also is based on Dante’s Inferno? Dante’s Inferno is just a **poem** - I don’t believe it has anything to do with the real world. I don’t believe in the supernatural. You seem to believe that if you admit to the **possibility** that it means Lucifer you would be agreeing that the company are Satan worshippers and Satan is real or something even though I don’t believe that! > [@](#): > > Again, I **strongly** urge you to speak to your doctor, and to show him/her what you wrote and try to explain your reasoning. I did. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/55 "2014-01-08T02:47:08Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > It does seem rather strange that Lucent chose such an overt “Hell Theme” for their product. Then what’s the big deal in suggesting that “light-bearing” means the main character of the Inferno poem (lucifer)? Do people think that it is impossible that a company would base their name on lucifer? BTW I don’t think the lucifer character actually exists. > [@](#): > > I’m not suggesting they were devil worshippers – quite the opposite I don’t think the opposite is necessarily true - the opposite is that they’d hate things associated with the devil - and that doesn’t explain why they were so influenced by that kind of thing (the poem). > [@](#): > > but such a decision does risk alienating potential consumers who _do_ believe in and fear “Satan”, and represent a rather large percentage of the market. Maybe that’s why they didn’t call their company “Lucifer” (straight out of the poem like the other names)… just because it is an unusual decision it doesn’t prove that they weren’t influenced by the poem. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/56 "2014-01-08T03:07:05Z")
BTW when I google: lucifer “light-bearing” I get about 24,900 results… (notice I used quote marks for “light-bearing”) For lucifer “light-bearer” I get 90,600 results. That led me to this: > **[Moses Harman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucifer_the_Lightbearer)** > > Moses Harman (October 12, 1830 – January 30, 1910) was an American schoolteacher and publisher notable for his staunch support for women's rights. He was prosecuted under the Comstock Law for content published in his anarchist periodical Lucifer the Lightbearer. He was arrested and jailed multiple times for publishing allegedly obscene material. His daughter, Lillian Harman, was also a notable anarchist. > Moses Harman was born on October 12, 1830 in Pendleton County, West Virginia to Job and Nanc... An old journal called “Lucifer the Lightbearer”! I’m not saying Lucent has any connection to that journal. ferre “to bear” Gives 5,070,000 results… ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/57 "2014-01-08T03:23:43Z")
Can people admit that Lucifer means **“light-bearing”** which is the exact meaning given by an article about Lucent? Maybe people think that to admit that they think they are saying that there is a big Satanic conspiracy but those are separate issues. Also I don’t believe in Satan. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/58 "2014-01-08T03:26:14Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > So then it isn’t much of a stretch that they **might** use the main character of that in the name of their company. First of all, it’s a completely illogical giant stretch to think that the name of the company is related to Lucifer just because a minor and unsuccessful product was branded around an Italian poem. You understand Lucent was a large company right? Second, you really need to read the Divine Comedy. A fictional version of Dante himself is the protagonist and the only other real character is Virgil. Satan is mentioned in a few stanzas in Inferno. Purgatorio and Paradiso aren’t even set in hell. The only way Satan could be less so “the main character” would be if he wasn’t mentioned at all. Are you thinking of Paradise Lost by any chance? ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/59 "2014-01-08T03:27:37Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > Can people admit that Lucifer means **“light-bearing”** which is the exact meaning given by an article about Lucent? Maybe people think that to admit that they think they are saying that there is a big Satanic conspiracy but those are separate issues. Also I don’t believe in Satan. Can you admit that anyone can edit an article on Wikipedia and that “someone” did edit the Lucent article within the last day to add your ridiculous ideas to it? ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620/60 "2014-01-08T04:00:02Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > Can people admit that Lucifer means **“light-bearing”** which is the exact meaning given by an article about Lucent? In addition to whatever psychiatric crisis you’re currently experiencing, you also appear to have major reading comprehension issues. Just because two words are synonymous for one definition, _does not_ mean they share all alternate definitions. Here’s an example. The words “ass” and “butt” are synonyms for the [gluteus maximus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluteus_maximus_muscle). So if I were to say, “My elderly grandmother can still kick your ass,” it’s the same as saying, “My elderly grandmother can still kick your butt.” But (no pun intended) those words are not exchangeable for other meanings, such as “I stubbed my cigarette butt out on the sidewalk,” or “[Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s ass.](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%205:21&version=NIV)” To swap those two words and say “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s butt” or “I stubbed my cigarette ass out on the sidewalk” is utterly nonsensical (though the latter is much more nonsensical than the former.) Get it? > [@JohnClay](#): > > Also I don’t believe in Satan. That don’t matter, my child. _He_ believes in _you._ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-story-trying-to-cheat-at-the-game-of-life/677620.md?page=4)