Make Your Point > Archived Issues > MANICHAEAN

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connect today's word to others: Don't worry: Manichaean, pronounced "MAN uh KEE un," doesn't mean "resembling a mannequin." (Creepy!) Manichaean means "like the religion of the Manichees, who saw everything in terms of a battle between good and evil"--in other words, "oversimplified into black-and-white thinking." So if you tend to think in terms of good or evil, black or white, with-us or against-us, then your thinking is Manichaean: you're focused on placing everything into dia____ically (totally and completely) opposite categories. Manichaeism (or Manichaeanism) is one way of seeing the world: it's a type of worldview, a viewpoint, a Welt____uung (German for "world perception"). Let's recall some other Welt____uungen, some specific ways of perceiving the world: 1. Mis____py is the view that most humans are basically bad and should be avoided. 2. M____rism is the view that humans are always getting better and working to make the world a better place.  If those were the only two options, I'd pick the second. But let's not fall into Manichaeism. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "MANICHAEAN" Manichaean people and things have or show very simplistic black-and-white thinking. In other words, Manichaean people and things insist on placing everything into two simple categories (like "good vs. evil"). Pronunciation: MAN uh KEE un Part of speech: Adjective, the proper kind (like "Christian," "Korean," or "Shakespearean"), which we always capitalize, like this: "a Manichaean perspective," "the doctrine was Manichaean." Other forms: Sometimes you'll see "Manichaean" spelled differently: "Manichean." "Manichaean" is also a noun, meaning "a person who sees things in purely black-and-white." You can call someone a Manichaean, or talk about Manichaeans in general. The noun for the idea is either "Manichaeism" or "Manichaeanism." And an alternate adjective is "Manichaeistic." How to use it: "Manichaean" is a serious, scholarly, conspicuous word. If you could get your idea across by saying "dualistic" or "black-and-white" instead, then, please do.   But when the situation calls for it, talk about Manichaean people and their Manichaean thoughts, thinking, perspectives, and philosophies; Manichaean symbols and categories; Manichaean conflicts, divides, extremes, battles, etc. examples: He tells himself a soothing Manichaean story: the hero is him; the villain is her. "In case you plan to write [a book on public education], here’s a brief primer: 1) Pick a contentious and complex topic, like charter schools, teacher evaluations or standardized testing. 2) Reduce that issue to a Manichaean battle for the soul of the American student, presenting your side as inarguably salvific..."    — Alexander Nazaryan, The New York Times, 24 August 2014 study it: Explain the meaning of "Manichaean" without saying "dualist" or "dichotomized." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Someone's) (view, understanding, or interpretation) of (some topic or issue) is Manichaean: _____ is goodness and light; _____, darkness and evil." Example: "My childhood view of Scrabble tiles was Manichaean: common letters like E and S were goodness and light; rare ones like J and Z, darkness and evil." before you review, play: Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first. Tidbits and Titles! I provide the tidbits; you provide the title. From our previous issue: Here's a quote from a novel: "There was something magical about an island—the mere word suggested fantasy. You lost touch with the world—an island was a world of its own. A world, perhaps, from which you might never return." And here are some terms and phrases that often appear in that novel: accused, afraid, breakfast, death, dining-room, glass, gramophone record, Harley Street, killed, little china figures, revolver, suppose, window. What's the novel's title? Answer: And Then There Were None. Try this today: Here's a quote from a novel: "When your stomach is empty and your mind is full, it's always hard to sleep." And here are some terms and phrases that often appear in that novel: animals, barn cellar, buttermilk, egg sac, Fair, pail, pigpen, radiant, slops, spinnerets, terrific, worry, yard. What's the novel's title? review today's word: 1. One opposite of MANICHAEAN is A. MIDDLING. B. NUANCED. C. OPENHANDED. 2. With Manichaean fury, she _____. A. corrected the math B. condemned all meat-eaters C. rehashed his previous mistakes Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. B