Word: whim
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...started as a passing whim...
...sense, the trend provides an interesting riff on a chord that theorists of democracy have long been playing, one that dates back to none other than Socrates. In the Republic, Socrates describes for his companions what he terms the Democratic Man, a figure who panders shamelessly to public whim and so wins its approval. To my mind, what is distinct about our American democracy is not that we have these Democratic Men--for we have legions of them--rather it is that thing to which our Democratic Men (and Women) so often pander, namely, our hunger for a great leader...
Gone are the days when you go out to eat and look for a restaurant that fauns and caters to your every whim-folded napkins, compliments, hot waiters and waitresses who make charming small-talk, extra sauce, etc. Now it's all about being a dining masochist. Who wants five-star service when you can get prodded, insulted and booted out? DJ Slapdash tells me that one of the Chinese restaurants to go to in London's Chinatown is Wong Kei, perhaps the rudest restaurant you'll ever see. Here's what to expect when you walk through the glass...
...will they live, how will they pay the bills, will the kids fall apart, will there be a custody battle, what will their families say? The very fact that so many people leave their marriage for a future with so many pitfalls proves that divorce is anything but a whim. Most people I know who split up (not to mention my ex and me) spent years working...
...used to be a risk taker. When I was six, I tried to run away from home with nothing but a Baggie full of cheese and crackers. When I was 22, I moved on a whim to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to live with a guy who worked on a party boat. Just four years ago, I cold-called my way into a job at TIME. But I think corporate life may be making me soft. These days, I can't even drop a letter in a corner mailbox without double checking to make sure it went down the chute...