Book Brew 123: Word Treasures Part X

The power of ideas is transformative, whether in the form of knowledge, improvement, or the pursuit of something greater.

Today’s Word Gems

Meliorism (noun) - the belief that the world can be made better by human effort
- Seth’s Blog, 12/31/2024 - “I wish meliorism had a catchier name because the concept deserves to be more widely understood and embraced.”
Erudite (adj) - having or showing great knowledge or learning
- Principles, pg 150 - “While such decisions might seem too erudite for your taste, you will make them either consciously or subliminally, and they will be very important.”
Superfluity (noun) - an unnecessarily or excessively large amount or number of something
- Lateral Thinking, pg 117 - “There is no point in criticizing the superfluity of all this.”
Accrete (verb) - grow by accumulation or coalescence
- You Like It Darker, pg 96 - “Meanwhile, information about Danny’s dream girl begins to accrete.”
Churlish (adj) - rude in a mean-spirited and surly way
- Fairy Tale, pg 525 - “Her grip was strong enough to choke my air off for a few seconds, but under the circumstances it would have been churlish to complain.”

Do you believe in meliorism—that human effort can improve the world? Why or why not?
How does erudition influence leadership and decision-making in today’s world?

Book Brew, Word Treasure, Definitions