Closely Associated With Tragedy, “Surreal” Is Also The Word Of 2016

2016 was a year when the shocking and unexpected happened. The neoliberal agenda lost it's steam. Wikileaks uncovers emails from the DNC that linked the plan to oust Bernie Sanders from the Democratic Presidential race. The war in Syria became a catastrophe. We began a cold war with Russia over hacked emails that supposedly effected the election of Donald Trump as our new President. A "billionaire" business man, with no political background became the leader of the most powerful nation on earth. So it is quite fitting that "surreal" is the word of the year. Not quite the same as Jefferson Airplanes album "Surrealistic Pillow."

From http://www.salon.com/2016/12/20/closely-associated-with-tragedy-surreal-is-also-the-word-of-2016/

What do you think? Would their be a more fitting word to describe the past year?

 

Epic."Surreal" suggests art and literature,and 2016 wasn't that for me.This word is often used misleadingly.Google "Surrealism" if you want to know more.

 

Surreal is too vague, while cartoonish is a more apt description. We've seen the cartoon get worse for over twenty years now with politicians increasingly becoming caricatures. My belief is it reflects a universal recursion in the law of identity where beauty and humor eventually become indistinguishable and the fact that a theory of everything is coming soon. Like a phase transition such as a pot of water coming to a full boil and converting to steam cartoonish effects are to be expected before any significant changes occur.

 

If we get this much vaunted "Theory of Everything",there will still be much we don't know,in my opinion.It will answer a lot of questions about physics,but not all other categories of knowledge.Do you really believe a "Theory of Everything" is around the corner,and if so,what are the implications for humanity?

 

A theory of everything would describe, well, everything! Imagine being able to describe anything and everything in terms a five year old can understand and half of anything imaginable being highly predictable. That includes how to build an AI, create a warp drive, or even possibly predict the future, travel through time, or between universes. As interesting as the physical applications might be, it would also describe humanity's own madness and how to create a better world. My own belief is that modern civilization has achieved its present lofty heights by suppressing their own sense of humor in favor of focusing on truth and beauty. Already two computer systems have been built which produce better than average jokes and the federal government has admitted they have classified a few jokes as "Vital to the National Defense". Its systems logic that can be used for anything from preventing high speed elevators from throwing you around to predicting the weather. Rejoice all you adorable clowns! Comedy is about the get the high tech treatment and neither academia, Vaudeville, nor the rest of the world will ever be the same again.

 

Ask a silly question get a silly answer lol.

 

Humanity destroying each other and the entire world is anything but silly. That's the problem, people have become much too serious and civilization has come to resemble Three Stooges slapstick where everyone argues over the definition of stupid and who is the better example.

 

Of course I agree.It's very sad.But you never mentioned any of that in your answer.

 

You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

 

Look out kid it's something you did.

 

Its karma baby, and instant karma gonna get all of humanity!

If it were just me, I wouldn't be writing a book.

 

As if surreal hasn't been the norm since Sept 11, 2001. Things would be more surreal at this point if something normal actually happened.

 

Reagan's election was my first clue that things we starting to get more surreal and cartoonish. We elected a B movie actor who made "Bedtime for Bonzo" with a chimp?

 

i see no logic in associating surreal with tragedy. sounds like a misuse to me.
of course its a manipulation of language to promote the rejection of diversity,
and with it of course, reality itself, who's only intrinsic nature IS diversity,
along with its lack of dependence on familiar expectation.