propensity
The word propensity and I are passing acquaintances, being first introduced to it by an ex-boss from the ancient days of yore.
He used this word in reference to his son mostly, but occasionally concerning one of the grunts that worked for him. His statement was: "He has a propensity for thoroughly irritating me". He did use somewhat cruder words for the latter part of this expression, but that's what it meant.
He had other expressions that he used with regularity. One was always spoken if any doubt was proffered about a solution he gave for an on-the-job problem - - "If I tell you a grasshopper can pull a buggy, you can hitch him up".
Another favorite of his was given as he was leaving after an on-the-job visit - -"Keepa loadin' and a shootin'".
I'm not sure the word nonsensical is supposed to go with the word profundity, but in his case it fit rather well, as he had a proclivity in that direction - a leaning that I possibly could be accused of as well.
The natural propensity of humankind is toward selfishness. In addition many have a proclivity in the area of procrastination and other more - or less - endearing character flaws.
At times confusion reigns supreme because I can't figure out whether a fault of mine is a propensity or a proclivity. So what's the difference? The former seems to be an inclination and the latter a leaning.
The problem with either an incline or lean is that once you go beyond a certain degree of angular slant from the vertical, natural laws take over and a fall to the horizontal goes rapidly from a possibility to a probability on to a reality.
The good thing about a horizontal position is that the next natural position in the process of rising again is to get on one's knees. This is especially meaningful if the fall we suffered was in the spiritual arena.
From that position of body or soul we can ask God to rescue us from our natural propensities and proclivities and change them into something more useful in the building up of others - and the Kingdom of God. ec
He used this word in reference to his son mostly, but occasionally concerning one of the grunts that worked for him. His statement was: "He has a propensity for thoroughly irritating me". He did use somewhat cruder words for the latter part of this expression, but that's what it meant.
He had other expressions that he used with regularity. One was always spoken if any doubt was proffered about a solution he gave for an on-the-job problem - - "If I tell you a grasshopper can pull a buggy, you can hitch him up".
Another favorite of his was given as he was leaving after an on-the-job visit - -"Keepa loadin' and a shootin'".
I'm not sure the word nonsensical is supposed to go with the word profundity, but in his case it fit rather well, as he had a proclivity in that direction - a leaning that I possibly could be accused of as well.
The natural propensity of humankind is toward selfishness. In addition many have a proclivity in the area of procrastination and other more - or less - endearing character flaws.
At times confusion reigns supreme because I can't figure out whether a fault of mine is a propensity or a proclivity. So what's the difference? The former seems to be an inclination and the latter a leaning.
The problem with either an incline or lean is that once you go beyond a certain degree of angular slant from the vertical, natural laws take over and a fall to the horizontal goes rapidly from a possibility to a probability on to a reality.
The good thing about a horizontal position is that the next natural position in the process of rising again is to get on one's knees. This is especially meaningful if the fall we suffered was in the spiritual arena.
From that position of body or soul we can ask God to rescue us from our natural propensities and proclivities and change them into something more useful in the building up of others - and the Kingdom of God. ec
posted by mreddie | 7:49 AM
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