mumpsimus

[underused]

mumpsimus

a traditional custom or idea adhered to although shown to be unreasonable
a person who obstinately adheres to old customs or ideas in spite of evidence that they are wrong or unreasonable

In an old story, it's said that an ignorant priest, knowing the sound of the Latin Mass but not speaking the language, said the meaningless 'mumpsimus' instead of 'sumpsimus'. When corrected, he is said to have replied, "I will not change my old mumpsimus for your new sumpsimus."
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I very recently discovered someone I know believes in the flat earth hypothesis.

Have you ever been shocked to find someone you know (and respect) believes in an idea you'd have thought we'd all left behind?

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Comments

[merikuru]

Hee. This is a very fun word to say. :D

[underused]

It really is, right? And it would be an excellent name (first or last) for a fictional character who espouses its meaning. (Now that I say it, I'd be surprised if it hasn't been used already!)

[merikuru]

Ha, yes! Mayhap if I prod NaNoWriMo this year...

[thedaughteroftyr]

This one is fun.

Also agh flat earthers... Bee and I have been discussing them of late and neither of us can quite wrap our brains around it. Read about mountains/stone trees if you need a headache.

[underused]

Haha, yes, my fault.

The flat-earth revelation floored me. I don't mind a good conspiracy theory, but this one is silly. SILLY. I just. don't. get it.

[thedaughteroftyr]

Yeah I totally don't get it.

[amidthestars]

Oh wow, I don't know where to start! This is a really fun word. And I can think of some applications in my actual life, so it's going to make the irritated monologue in my head a bit more entertaining, which is always appreciated. AND I didn't know the flat-earth hypothesis was still a thing to be believed in. Oh my. I do know about young-earth creationists, though, so I guess this isn't too far off? (I work with a science and religion scholar, and the most amusing portion of the criticism he encounters comes from young earth creationists in the American south.)

[underused]

It IS a fun word. I really like it. But I don't get the whole "I refuse to believe proof and science" thing. I just can't fathom what it is people get out of holding that stance, or how it could possibly be worth the energy it takes to maintain.

[amidthestars]

Yeah. What I don't understand is what it takes to be so convinced. I mean, I wonder how much of it is actual belief - and how much might be... something else. Spite, maybe, or anger, or a mistrust of the world that is clearly greater than I can fathom. I don't think it can just be about science. I feel like humans can go to pretty great lengths to maintain or defend or protect certain emotional territories...often without even realizing it.

[underused]

And I suppose, if you feel like you have no control, imagining someone (or some cabal of someones) is conspiring against you or manipulating circumstances to meet their own nefarious ends--maybe that feels like it would be a better truth. I mean, honestly, we all do this; sooner or later we believe in something illogical because we really want it to be so. But holy cow, at least let's pick something harder to disprove. haha.