I get my national and world news from multiple newspapers (online version prices are quite reasonable) rather than from the talking heads on TV. The advantage of newspapers is that I can reread, fact check and ponder at my leisure the content – maybe even print out if really noteworthy and save without the worry of losing it somewhere in the cloud or some other tech black hole.
Occasionally I come across a word that bears close scrutiny and possibly holding on to for the future.
One of these kinds of words appeared in an article by Paul Krugman (opinion columnist) in the Dec. 10 edition of the New York Times titled, “My Last Column: Finding Hope in an Age of Resentment.” From the title you can get the gist of the content which I’m not going to go into (your job if interested). But in the last paragraph there’s a sentence that has a real “keeper” of a word; the sentence reads, “But if we stand up to the kakistocracy – rule by the worst – that’s emerging as we speak, we may eventually find our way to a better world.” Kakistocracy: never encountered it, couldn’t pronounce it without misfiring and, additionally, it got red-lined by my word processor!
A Google investigation helped me with pronunciation and provided a more elaborate definition: government by the least suitable or competent citizens of a state. In my mind, how applicable to today. A day where the D.C. rumor mill has the president elect considering Kari Lake for ambassador to Mexico!
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
