TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:RE: Verifying the source of a quotation From:"Margaret Secara" <margaret -dot- secara -at- alphather -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 21 Jun 2002 10:43:35 -0700
Actually, I think given the historical context (especially if it's Marcus Aurelius) noble and mean here refer to specific social classes, patricians and plebs. This statement is about what sets a noble nature apart from a mean (low, common) one. The difference between high and low achievement (which is still a value judgement) is about ambition, "which is the way in which a vulgar [common] man aspires."
No matter which of the candidates said it, it almost certainly refers to terms most of us no longer have referents for. If that's not what you mean to say, I'd find another quotation. If it IS what you mean to say, don't try to make it PC by punching in Psych 101 buzzwords.
Maggie Secara
>>> Nora von Gerichten <wlg -at- pacificcoast -dot- net> Friday, June 21, 2002 >>>
>Dick wrote:
>"A noble man compares and estimates himself by an idea which is higher than
>himself; and a mean man, by one lower than himself. The one produces
>aspiration; the other ambition, which is the way in which a vulgar man
>aspires."
"Noble" and "mean" are value adjectives. I try to stay away from such
terms, as they are vocabulary, cultural, personal definitions involved that
do not give a universal point of reference.
Better than the quote is the definition between a high achiever and a low
achiever, as it is taught these days in Psych 101. A high achiever plays
chess with those a bit better or equal to their skill set. The high
achiever knows who is better, who is equal, and does not pay attention to
rankings below himself. A low achiever plays chess with a master, looses
terribly, and says "I am lousy at this" then turns around and plays a game
with his 10 year old son and wins rapidly and says "I am really good at this".
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Check out RoboDemo for tutorials! It makes creating full-motion software
demonstrations and other onscreen support materials easy and intuitive.
Need RoboHelp? Save $100 on RoboHelp Office in May with our mail-in rebate.
Go to http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l
Your monthly sponsorship message here reaches more than
5000 technical writers, providing 2,500,000+ monthly impressions.
Contact Eric (ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com) for details and availability.
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
