Thank you for the opportunity to post on the world's premier blog.

Nelson Mandela - Integrity

Chanrithy Him - Refugee

Contempt - Any individual or nation that opposes the idea of an International criminal court.

Filibuster - a word I seldom use but like the sound of...

Insipid - I don't wish to demean anyone with this rather caustic, harsh word although anyone in a powerful OR influential postion who fails to exercise their potential for good would fall into this category.

Tsunami - The nameless, unmarked graves of those swept away in last years horrific calamity.

Pandemic - Asian bird flu and the anonymous scientists fighting it's possible mutation.

Conclave - The new pope Benedict

Levee - ?

Inept - Another demeaning put-down of a word.
To describe someone thus is to write someone off, which I'm not prepared to do - to anyone, anywhere.

Integrity-Mahatma Gandhi
Inspid,Inept are the words mostly suited to most of the politicians of India
Other words are difficult to understand and thus to comment upon

1. integrity - Santa Claus
2. refugee - Do they know it's Christmas?
3. contempt - yeh saying, asskissers, Blair
4. filibuster - a legal tatic, F*Schwarzenneger!!!
5. insipid - me with Dutch females
6. tsunami - me with Dutch females
7. pandemic - (in)doctrine(s)
8. conclave - Neverland or the Hague,
9. levee - dikes, build 'em higher!
10. inept - nevertheless, marry X-mas 2005!

Love, Passion!

1. integrity- Deepak Chopra, who always follows his inner guidance no matter what others think he should or shouldn’t do.

2. refugee- Jakob Kellenberger, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross

3. contempt- Rosa Parks, who never surrendered to it

4. filibuster- Harold Pinter, 2005 Nobel laureate, who foments insurrection in the US

5. insipid- Wangari Maathai, who has demonstrated that an "insipid" action like planting a tree can lead to abundance, healing and peace on this planet.

6. tsunami - Vivek Oberoi, who has adopted the tsunami-devastated Devanampattinam village and has pulled off a real "hit" there with his star image drawing huge amount of relief material

7. pandemic – Jesus Christ, who started a love-pandemic :)

8. conclave- many people who are conclaves of peace in a crazy world

9. levee – George Bush, responsible for (not) building them

10. inept - we can’t use the same name twice, lol...

Great topic Bharat. My integrity has always been a big concern for me and I still struggle with it. Hey Yogesh, good seeing you here man!

Let me paste the definition from www.m-w.com:

integrity
One entry found for integrity.

Main Entry: in·teg·ri·ty
Pronunciation: in-'te-gr&-tE
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English integrite, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French integrité, from Latin integritat-, integritas, from integr-, integer entire
1 : firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : INCORRUPTIBILITY
2 : an unimpaired condition : SOUNDNESS
3 : the quality or state of being complete or undivided : COMPLETENESS
synonym see HONESTY

It is the third definition that appeals to me most. Complete with what? It is being complete with one's own principles. We all live by certain principles (well, most of the time anyways). When we go against these principles that we are no longer whole with body, mind and spirit.

However, as you point out, if our value system is way out of whack, then even if we are integral, it could end in a disaster. All suicide bombers were highly integral. After all they made the supreme sacrifice for their belief system. So integrity does not necessarily equal morality. Morality is our contract with the society we live in. I don't believe that God intented to give us morals. If God wanted to make rules for living, those are already codified in the laws of nature. If we go against nature we suffer the consequences (try gravity for example). On the other hand all moral codes have exceptions depending upon the culture, time and circumstances. To me, that is the proof that they are not divine.

Nevertheless integrity is very important. Given a set of priorities and a vision, without integrity it is very difficult to achieve them. Integrity is typically associated with honesty. Honesty is a good virtue, but honesty with the self is even more important. From personal experience, I can say that articulating your value system and vision gives you a framework to develop integrity. Without it, integrity is like logic: it is neither good nor bad.

Regards,

Ravi Kulkarni

For the owners of intentblog, please consider increasing the size of the "Comments" box. It is annoying to type in such a narrow window.

Regards,

Ravi

Hi Bharat,
When I think of integrity I think of Mahatma Gandhi and Mata Amritanandamaya.
Those other words aren't so interesting to me.

Love, Kristin

Integrity - people the world over who choose to Love their neighbor as themselves

refugee - people who are displaced but find a home in the hearts of humanity

contempt - to tempt the heart to stop loving

filibuster- a buster who is fill of it

insipid- death of the Soul

tsunami- the wave of Mother Earth

pandemic- the Nations United in Peace and Love

conclave- the key that unlocks the caves of the human heart and lets the light and joy shine

levee- let the heart be flooded with Peace

inept- I can't relate to this one for Hope springs eternal

Love to all

Bharat,

You missed an important meaning of Integrity defined in Merriam, "the quality or state of being complete or undivided".

In conventional wisdom, Integrity is always confused with "Moral Integrity", in which your post also falls. Morality changes contextually and with each culture.

However, if you look at Integrity as the quality of being complete or undivided, I sense clarity.

In the state of being complete, I am in state of love. I do not want to kill or conquer or defeat or be right. I simply am!

Hi Bharat,

What a great post, thanks!

Here's a third impulse that could have accounted for the Merriam dictionary numbers: How often journalists and writers are now using those words in their articles. If this is part of the equation, it gives us hope, because people are reading the serious articles, instead of ignoring them, and want to understand what they're reading.

Here's my list:
1. integrity -- my son
2. refugee -- Waris Dirie
3. contempt -- George W. Bush
4. filibuster -- Huey Long
5. insipid -- Rod Stweart
6. tsunami -- Jaloe (fisherman from Aceh)
7. pandemic -- M.W. Quinn (my Dad's mom, died in 1919 flu pandemic)
8. conclave -- Cardinal Ratzinger
9. levee -- John McPhee (wrote about New Orleans levee problem in 1987, New Yorker magazine)
10. inept -- Blanco (governor of the State of Louisiana, US)

Cheers, Heather

interesting words - integrity

The House voted last night to adopt Sen. McCain's ban on cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment" of anyone in the custody of the U.S. government. In a "stunning victory" and "landslide vote" 308-122 they accepted the ban. The Senate voted 90-9 to accept it.

For some reason, it is mind boggling to me that it wasn't unanimous, the need for it even exists, and that there ever had to be a vote on it in a country that prides itself to be a leader of the modern world.

Bharat,

Here we go:

1. integrity: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN distinguished medical reporter.

2. refugee: ferdinand Marcos, self-serving scandalous Filipine president exiled in Hawaii.

3. contempt: Tom Delay, fallen Republican top
gun.

4. filibuster: Senator John Randolph, first to use this ploy in 1825 against a bill introduced in the House by President John Quincy Adams.

5. insipid: Martha Stewart, bland queen.

6. tsunami: President Bill Clinton, done yeoman servive for survivors since epic tragedy.

7. pandemic: Dick Thompson, spokeman of WHO.

8. conclave: Karl Rove, Headmaster of secret Republican strategies.

9. levee: Ray Nagin, NO Mayor.

10. inept: George W. Bush.

Regards.

thanks all!

now my picks:

integrity - my grandfather, KL Chopra

refugee - that 5 year old cuban boy from a few years ago

contempt - saddam hussein

filibuster - harriet myers

insipid - lord voldemort

tsunami - susilo yudhoyono, president of indonesia

pandemic - donald duck

conclave - pope john paul / dan brown

levee - condaleeza rice (god will take care of you!)

inept - george bush

Typo:

#6 should read: President Bill Clinton has done yeoman service for survivors since epic tragedy.

Bharat,

The theme of your post above is "integrity."

So, what is the reason for enumerating the nine other words? I don't quite understand! Please explain.

Ron.

Hi Bharat, most of my answers are already taken, I am too slow. You can't expect old tottering women like me to keep up with the youth on the blog.For refugee my answer is His Holiness The Dalai Lama.My answer to contempt,insipid,and inept are one person, The President.God bless you Bharat.Every time I see your picture, on the blog I think of my middle daughter who works for the city of NewYork in the mayor's office.I don't know why.

This is a great post, thank you. A lot to think about.

Friends,

Mr. Bharat has asked you to put a name beside each of his ten words. Did you do that? Take a look at how some of you have answered. I am surprised, I thought most of you were so bright.

If I were marking you on term papers, most of you would score an F or a D.

Spence.

Tell them Spence!

So where is your list praytell, Spence?

And Ed for that matter.

Trent,

Who is your daddy? LOL!

Ed.

Hey Ron,

The list represents the ten most commonly looked up words at Merriam's online dictionary.

It is an accurate reflection of what America is thinking about.

Integrity topped the list, hence the theme. But I thought it would be a more complete piece if I shared the whole list.

Thanks all for the comments - especially the bit, santosh, on wholeness and completeness. I agree with you.

If you ever figure out why you think of your middle daughter, geeta, feel free to fill me in!

spence - your paper is overdue!

Bharat, I know why I think of her. Forgive me for not being forthright.If you are unattached and wish to meet her email me at mahadevi51@aol.com

Hi Geeta,

That is very kind of you and I am unattached. But I live in Singapore! Perhaps some time in the future.

Bharat

Hi Bharat,thank you for the courtesy.I had not asked my daughter's permission before writing the last comment. I am so anxious to see them happy that some times i do inappropriate things.I some times wonder if I have ADHD, because if I had thought through I would not, should not have made either of the two comments. Forgive me for bugging you. God bless you. I have always liked you. I like you more today. Whoever spends time with you is one lucky girl.Have a merry Christmas.

Hi Bharat, interesting blog, and the comments all the more interesting...liked ur list..i agree with u ...the name that comes to my mind for integrity is defintely Uncle Chopra...ur grandfather, inept...George Bush, for refugee..Dalai Lama..anyway was amused at some of the other comments including some interesting propositions for u. I feel connected and in touch with all of u who write on the blog thanx to Deepak, mallika,gotham for making this possible. ...Vinita Aunty

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