One Of Those Words

Comes along every once in a while, where you want to use it any context just to hear it and relish it. Like Schadenfreude, not only is / was the definition mischievous, *(: enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others.) It sounded fun, especially when trying to repeat with a Germanic accent.

Here is my new favorite word.

Solipsism:

A theory holding that the self can know nothing but its own modification and that the self is the only existent thing.

*M-W.com

Cool, right? I don’t dare use it at work, a small group of coworkers, looked at me like I had four heads, when I used the word cognizant, instead of very aware. I’ll try it here.

Robin: Holy solipsism Batman!

Batman: What is it Robin?

Robin: I just read in the Gotham City Gazette, that a person who sells teapots and has a fifteen subscriber podcast, considers themselves, to be a social influencer. Could it be the Riddler with a riddle?

Batman: No, that is just a person with an inflated ego who wants to feel extra important, when they do not recognize their own intrinsic self worth for just being a miraculous bipedal earthling artist.

(Actually, did read that on FB, where a person in that circumstance, presented themselves as a social influencer.)

Even Jeffrey Dahmer who was world infamous, did not influence people to eat other people.

Perhaps the teapot Podcaster is a social influencer, I don’t know. Or perhaps I am just jealous, that I have all the social influence of farting in an empty elevator. Nobody is influenced, but me.

“Farting on the elevator is an interesting experience. Uh, if there are only two people on there, everybody knows…who farted.”

– George Carlin

Recently heard in an audio book that solipsism can not be disproven. Well, isn’t that just dandy.

How interesting, a word that was made up to describe something, approved by lexicographers, placed in a book with a definition and isn’t even known to provably exist.

Solipsism:

1871, coined from Latin solus “alone” (see sole (adj.)) + ipse “self.” The view or theory that self is the only object of real knowledge or the only thing that is real.

“The identification of one’s self with the Absolute is not generally intended, but the denial of there being really anybody else” [Century Dictionary].

– etymologyonline.com

That does turn a subjective perspective on its head, now doesn’t it. On one hand solipsism could make one very aware of their infinite responsibility of their own happiness.

Or do whatever they wanted to in a Godlike free for all, knowing at any moment they could change it.

Provable or not, solipsism is one word you could chase down the rabbit hole wondering if there was ever a hole or a rabbit word to chase after.



“Just an observation,
Maybe I need
Different glasses.”

– Angelo Devlin

Or do I?


Here is a recent haiku previously posted for me to better understand the word solipsism.


“An Ego Haiku”


Solipsism swims

Deep in the abysmal pool

Of Narcissism