Key Word Project; the meaning of words and the perception of people who use them.

 What do words mean?  When we look at definitions we often have to look from different sides of the word.  Play for instance can mean a very different thing to a 12 year old child than to their 45 year old father.  This comes to mind as I read through the literature of colonialism and that of globalization.  To a titan of capitalism, fat and happy with his tie firmly knotted in a double Windsor the world seems like a place full of opportunity and profit.  To a cashier ringing up the 200th package of toilet paper that day worrying about how their meager paycheck will pay the bills the only positive effect they can see from globalization is that they can buy a small package of strawberries at the end of their shift.  

The first word we will tackle is WEALTH 

Wealth 

Oxford English Dictionary defines wealth as; 

The condition of being happy and prosperous; well being (obsolete) 

This definition does not necessarily correlate to our readings.  It is a definition of wealth that is mostly obsolete although we still use it.  I often consider myself having wealth even as I live from paycheck to paycheck as I am mostly healthy, have loving family, have a place to live and know how to feed myself and my loved ones.  

Prosperity consisting in abundance of possessions, ‘worldly goods’, valuable possessions, esp. In great abundance; riches Affluence.  

This definition is more in line with our readings.  Especially as we read white tiger and Dasgupta.  

From middle English, as a relation to health. 

 

Wealth is a concept that is very old but has had many meanings throughout history.  Here in the United States as in many other countries we see wealth as equaling success, with it comes standing, ease, better health, better food, access to more things.  If you have spent your life in serving people as I have, through retail, food, coffee or beer and wine you are seen as someone that isn’t successful.  We see wealthy people succeed in politics without experience or the abilities to do the job but we think “well they are wealthy, so they are successful, so they will be successful” even though we wouldn’t let a successful real estate magnate operate on us or fix our car without the proper education.  This country, and others like India envision wealth as the solution to everything that is wrong with their life.  I have worked all my life (which is quite a while at this point) and never been wealthy.  My success has always been written in my family, and in my jobs has always been more about happiness and enjoyment, so in that I have “wealth”.  

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Word #2 OOZE 

Miriam Webster  English Dictionary definition; 

1.) A soft deposition the bottom off a body of water

2.) A piece of soft wet plastic ground : a marsh or bog that results from the from the flow of a spring, stream or brooklet. 

We often talk of oozing out of bed or blood oozing from a wound.  In our reading of the white tiger he spoke of the ooze of the mud as it swallowed his mother's burning body.  In this aspect it had a monstrous quality feeling threatening and possessive.  

Word #3. MUD. 

Miriam Webster English Dictionary Definition. 

1.) A slimy sticky mixture of solid material with a liquid and especially water 

2.) Abusive and malicious remarks or charges 

Mud can be what oozes (see above) through your toes on a barefoot walk into the back yard.  It can also be what you dish on your coworker or another politician.  It can also be your name, albeit spelled differently, when you have been disgraced.  We can build huts from mud or make bricks and then build houses.  

Word #4.  Food. 

Miriam Webster Dictionary Definition. 

1.) Material consisting essentially of protein, carbohydrate, and fat used in the body. of an organism to sustain growth, repair, and vital process and to furnish energy.  

2.) Inorganic substances absorbed by plants in gaseous form or in water solution  

These definitions lack the warmth and passion I feel about food.  Food is what I sell at work (I work in a grocery store and while I may manage the Beer and wine department we talk a lot about food in its various forms) its what I prepare at home for my family.  I have spent my life thinking about preparing, serving food.  It is often the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing I think about before bed.  I spend my days off when I feel well working in my kitchen on making food that we can sit at the table and eat together.  It also is something that can create a feeling of satisfaction and security or on the other hand it can take away security.  For anyone who has had to put everything in their basket back because they realized they couldn't pay for it or have had to go without food for any length of time food can come with the attachment of insecurity.