nemesis |ˈneməsis|
noun ( pl. -ses |-ˌsēz|) (usu. one’s nemesis)
the inescapable or implacable agent of someone’s or something’s downfall : the balance beam was the team’s nemesis, as two gymnasts fell from the apparatus.
• a downfall caused by such an agent : one risks nemesis by uttering such words.
• (often Nemesis) retributive justice : nemesis is notoriously slow.
ORIGIN late 16th cent.: Greek, literally ‘retribution,’ from nemein ‘give what is due.’
Nemesis |ˈneməsis| Greek Mythology
a goddess usually portrayed as the agent of divine punishment for wrongdoing or presumption (hubris).

hubris |ˈ(h)yoōbris|
noun
excessive pride or self-confidence.
• (in Greek tragedy) excessive pride toward or defiance of the gods, leading to nemesis.
DERIVATIVES
hubristic |(h)yoōˈbristik| adjective
ORIGIN Greek

ethnocentric |ˌeθnōˈsentrik|
adjective
evaluating other peoples and cultures according to the standards of one’s own culture.
DERIVATIVES
ethnocentrically |-(ə)lē| adverb
ethnocentricity |-ˌsenˈtrisitē| noun
ethnocentrism |-ˌtrizəm| noun

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From the Editor…

We belong to the primate species, Homo sapiens. We Homo sapiens are susceptible to claims of separation and superiority. No matter who we are, we imagine that our group is superior to all other groups. Those who do not look like us or talk like us, are automatically considered inferior. This is called ethnocentricity.

Ethnocentricity claims that “we” – whoever “we” might be, whether Anglo-Saxon Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Chinese, Japanese, Africans, or any other group – that “we” – who and what we are, and all we do and identify with – are somehow innately superior to all other groups – that we are the only “real people” – and that all other people are not real. We disavow the value and worth of others because we believe that we are “special”. So for all practical purposes, despite our very fancy high-tech vehicles, weapons and communications devices with all their bells and whistles, we still live in the dark ages of the soul.

We judge by comparing and contrasting others to ourselves, and we elevate ourselves above all others. We rarely challenge our own judgments and perceptions, for in our own eyes, we are always “the best”, always “right”. Self-examination, curiosity and wonder are not welcome in this myopic mindset.

And that, my friends, is group narcissism or ethnocentricity. See also Narcissistic behavior. Symptoms of narcissism

disrespect |ˌdisriˈspekt|
noun
lack of respect or courtesy : growing disrespect for the rule of law.
verb [ trans. ] informal
show a lack of respect for; insult : a young brave who disrespects his elders.
DERIVATIVES
disrespectful |-fəl| adjective
disrespectfully |-fəlē| adverb

cruel |ˈkroōəl|
adjective ( -eler, -elest; Brit. -eller , -ellest )
causing pain or suffering : I can’t stand people who are cruel to animals.
• having or showing a sadistic disregard for the pain or suffering of others : the girl had a cruel face.
DERIVATIVES
cruelly adverb
ORIGIN Middle English : via Old French from Latin crudelis, related to crudus (see crude ).

cruelty |ˈkroōəltē|
noun ( pl. –ties)
callous indifference to or pleasure in causing pain and suffering : he has treated her with extreme cruelty.
• behavior that causes pain or suffering to a person or animal : we can’t stand cruelty to animals | the cruelties of forced assimilation and genocide.
• Law behavior that causes physical or mental harm to another, esp. a spouse, whether intentionally or not.
ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French crualte, based on Latin crudelitas, from crudelis (see cruel ).

crude |kroōd|
adjective
1 in a natural or raw state; not yet processed or refined : crude oil.
• Statistics (of figures) not adjusted or corrected : the crude mortality rate.
• (of an estimate or guess) likely to be only approximately accurate.
2 constructed in a rudimentary or makeshift way : a relatively crude nuclear weapon.
• (of an action) showing little finesse or subtlety and as a result unlikely to succeed : the measure was condemned by economists as crude and ill-conceived.
3 (of language, behavior, or a person) offensively coarse or rude, esp. in relation to sexual matters : a crude joke. See note at rude .
noun
natural petroleum : the ship was carrying 80,000 tons of crude.
DERIVATIVES
crudely adverb
crudeness noun
crudity |ˈkroōditē| noun
ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin crudus ‘raw, rough.’

rude |roōd|
adjective
1 offensively impolite or ill-mannered : she had been rude to her boss | [with infinitive ] it’s rude to ask a lady her age.
• referring to a taboo subject such as sex in a way considered improper and offensive : he made a rude gesture.
• [ attrib. ] having a startling abruptness : the war came as a very rude awakening.
2 roughly made or done; lacking subtlety or sophistication : a rude coffin.
• archaic ignorant and uneducated : the new religion was first promulgated by rude men.
3 [ attrib. ] chiefly Brit. vigorous or hearty : Isabel had always been in rude health.
DERIVATIVES
rudely adverb
rudeness noun
rudery |-ərē| noun
ORIGIN Middle English (in sense 2, also [uncultured] ): from Old French, from Latin rudis ‘unwrought’ (referring to handicraft), figuratively [uncultivated] ; related to rudus ‘broken stone.’
THE RIGHT WORD
Someone who lacks consideration for the feelings of others and who is deliberately insolent is rude (: It was rude of you not to introduce me to your friends).
Ill-mannered suggests that the person is ignorant of the rules of social behavior rather than deliberately rude (: an ill-mannered child), while uncivil implies disregard for even the most basic rules of social behavior among civilized people (: his uncivil response resulted in his being kicked out of the classroom).
Rough is used to describe people who lack polish and refinement (: he was a rough but honest man), while crude is a more negative term for people and behavior lacking culture, civility, and tact (: he made a crude gesture).
Uncouth describes what seems strange, awkward, or unmannerly rather than rude (: his uncouth behavior at the wedding).
Although people of any age may be rude, crude, ill-mannered, or uncouth, callow almost always applies to those who are young or immature; it suggests naiveté and lack of sophistication (: he was surprisingly callow for a man of almost 40).

apartheid |əˈpärtˌ(h)āt; -ˌ(h)īt|

noun, historical
(in South Africa) a policy or system of segregation or discrimination on grounds of race.
• segregation in other contexts : sexual apartheid.

Adopted by the successful Afrikaner National Party as a slogan in the 1948 election, apartheid extended and institutionalized existing racial segregation. Despite rioting and terrorism at home and isolation abroad from the 1960s onward, the white regime maintained the apartheid system with only minor relaxation until February 1991.

ORIGIN 1940s: Afrikaans, literally ‘separateness,’ from Dutch apart ‘separate’ + –heid (equivalent of –hood ).

goy |goi|
noun ( pl. goyim |ˈgoi-im| or goys ) informal often offensive
a Jewish name for a non-Jew.
DERIVATIVES
goyish adjective
ORIGIN from Hebrew gōy ‘people, nation.’

Talmud |ˈtälˌmoŏd; ˈtalməd|
noun ( the Talmud)
the body of Jewish civil and ceremonial law and legend comprising the Mishnah and the Gemara. There are two versions of the Talmud: the Babylonian Talmud (which dates from the 5th century ad but includes earlier material) and the earlier Palestinian or Jerusalem Talmud.
DERIVATIVES
Talmudic |talˈm(y)oōdik; -ˈmoŏdik| adjective
Talmudical |talˈm(y)oōdikəl; -ˈmoŏd-| adjective
Talmudist |ˈtälmoŏdist; ˈtalməd-| noun
ORIGIN from late Hebrew talmū d ‘instruction,’ from Hebrew lāma d ‘learn.’

Semite |ˈsemīt|
noun
a member of any of the peoples who speak or spoke a Semitic language, including in particular the Jews and Arabs.
ORIGIN from modern Latin Semita, via late Latin from Greek Sēm ‘Shem,’ son of Noah in the Bible, from whom these people were traditionally supposed to be descended.