resistentialism, n.

This content has been archived. It may no longer be accurate or relevant.

From The Oxford English Dictionary:

 resistentialism, n.

. . . .

The theory that inanimate objects are hostile to humans; hostility manifested by inanimate objects.

. . . .

1948   P. Jennings in Spectator 23 Apr. 491/1   Resistentialism is a philosophy of tragic grandeur… Resistentialism derives its name from its central thesis that Things (res) resist (résister) men… Resistentialism is the philosophy of what Things think about us.

. . . .

1996   C. H. Elster There’s Word for It! (2005) 246   Even my daughter..is well aware of the sinister power of resistentialism… Not long ago I heard her crying from another room. I ran to her aid and found her frowning at a chair. ‘That chair bumped me.’

Link to the rest at The Oxford English Dictionary

PG notes that in the average home or office, computers are the major source of resistentialism.

5 thoughts on “resistentialism, n.”

  1. I have long maintained that computers, like small children and animals, sense fear and frustration and react accordingly.

    No IT person I’ve suggested this to has thus far disagreed.

    • The computers I have to maintain have seen me smash one of their numbers into a wadded up ball of metal with loose things rattling within. This seems to have improved the operation of those left … 😉

  2. My brother who has a Ph.D which involves artificial intelligence and the human brain caught me thanking my computer. I expected a laugh or something. Instead, he said, “It can’t hurt. It might help.”

    My alma mater built an eight-story addition to the library which were essentially book stacks. I would always thank the elevator when I got off. Friends laughed until they noticed I never had to wait for an elevator.

    As my mom, the quintessential Southern Lady, always said, “It never hurts to be polite.” I might add that it never hurts to be polite to even inanimate objects.

Comments are closed.