About 2 weeks ago I picked up a book on al-Ghazali by one of my professors, and in his (my professor's) acknowledgements, he refers to one of his good friends as a "comrade". This is not so odd in the grand scheme of things, but for an esteemed scholar and such a prolific literary enthusiast, it struck me as odd that he would be so casual.
But since then, the word has stuck. And it is as if I am re-learning the word. I have found myself dropping it in different correspondences and writings.
Officially, the Oxford mini dictionary (7th ed) tells me "comrade" means "a fellow member or soldier". When I use it, I seem to think of the unity the word expresses a lot more than the person who embodies it. That is, "comrade" reminds me of a sense of belonging and a sense of duty a member of a large group inherently carries.
And since it is a name bestowed onto someone, they don't really have a choice in how it is applied. It is applied because of the perception the caller has of the called.
Maybe I will write on this more later. But for now, this will suffice to enter it into memory.
But since then, the word has stuck. And it is as if I am re-learning the word. I have found myself dropping it in different correspondences and writings.
Officially, the Oxford mini dictionary (7th ed) tells me "comrade" means "a fellow member or soldier". When I use it, I seem to think of the unity the word expresses a lot more than the person who embodies it. That is, "comrade" reminds me of a sense of belonging and a sense of duty a member of a large group inherently carries.
And since it is a name bestowed onto someone, they don't really have a choice in how it is applied. It is applied because of the perception the caller has of the called.
Maybe I will write on this more later. But for now, this will suffice to enter it into memory.
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