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You must remember this

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Topic:	10) You must remember this (1 of 5), Read 69 times
Conf:	Word Fugitives, with Barbara Wallraff
From:	Barbara Wallraff ([email protected])
Date:	Thursday, September 09, 1999 09:43 AM

Sonam Chauhan, of Tampa, Florida, writes: "I'd like a word describing what one feels as ambitious dreams and aspirations change into progressively smaller ones as time goes by."

Topic:	10) You must remember this (2 of 5), Read 57 times
Conf:	Word Fugitives, with Barbara Wallraff
From:	Sara Gallan t ([email protected])
Date:	Friday, September 10, 1999 03:41 PM

Diminished expectations

Topic:	10) You must remember this (3 of 5), Read 49 times
Conf:	Word Fugitives, with Barbara Wallraff
From:	Catherine Griffiths ([email protected])
Date:	Friday, September 10, 1999 07:28 PM

realism? as opposed to great expectations
when the truth subverts the outcomes?
what an important question. *s*

catherine

Topic:	10) You must remember this (4 of 5), Read 47 times
Conf:	Word Fugitives, with Barbara Wallraff
From:	Matt Swift ([email protected])
Date:	Saturday, September 11, 1999 06:47 AM

my first thought was "cognitive dissonance" but on looking it up i see that refers first of all to the discrepancy of ambition and reality, and to the resulting anxiety (dissonance).

at some point during psych 101, however, i associated that term with the human tendency to RESOLVE cognitive dissonance, usually in the favor of the ambition.

The most memorable illustration of this human tendency i can recall is a Bloom County cartoon (by berkeley breathed?) in which Opus the penguin examines his large nose and other unappealing features in the mirror for several frames expressing his disgust and dismay. In the final frame, he beams: "but really I'm quite a handsome fellow!" or something to that effect.

this kind of response is sort of the opposite of the one to be here named, however. i think "realism" is in the right direction, but one needs some notion of increase or dawning of reality.

"reconciliation (to reality)" might be close.

Topic:	10) You must remember this (5 of 5), Read 42 times
Conf:	Word Fugitives, with Barbara Wallraff
From:	Van Happy ([email protected])
Date:	Saturday, September 11, 1999 06:40 PM

Or simply 'resignation' - a sad state, I always think - and maybe slightly more apt than reconciliation?
A mental shrug dismissing all those aspirations.

But I am still looking for a term that incorporates the gradualness of it all. The first go: diminished expectations, may well be your best bet.

V.H.

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