XXIV:THE EXTREMISTS.

To continue the ideas from the last post, ‘PROFLIGACY’ is an uneconomical way of spending. When we spend economically, we’re called ‘THRIFTY’. ‘THRIFTY’ means FRUGAL, i.e., ECONOMICAL. Hence all the following three words are SYNONYMS: ECONOMICAL THRIFTY FRUGAL A PRODIGAL is never FRUGAL; similarly a LIAR is never VERACIOUS (honest); or a SAGE (wise human) is never FATUOUS (stupid); or a DUNCE (idiot) is never SAGACIOUS (wise). Hence, PRODIGAL: FRUGAL is analogous to LIAR: VERACIOUS is analogous to SAGE: FATUOUS is analogous to DUNCE: SAGACIOUS We can also see that PRODIGALITY x FRUGALITY in the same way as STUPIDITY x SAGACITY (wisdom) in the same way as DISHONESTY x VERACITY (honesty) When we become too economical we are called misers. A MISER takes ECONOMY or THRIFT to the extreme. So, we can call a MISER a kind of extremist. A MISER is also called NIGGARD TIGHT-FIST SKINFLINT CHEAPSKATE These are all the SYNONYMS of MISER We saw that a SKINFLINT (miser) is a type of EXTREMIST. Let’s also look at some other people who take things to their extreme. All of them together make matching ANALOGIES. THE EXTREMISTS GOURMAND: APPETITE A gourmand [one who eats too much] has extreme appetite. CHAUVINIST: PATRIOTISM A chauvinist [narrow-minded patriot] takes patriotism to the extreme. WASTREL: GENEROSITY A wastrel [one who is too lavish] takes generosity to the extreme. BIGOT: BIAS A bigot [a narrow-minded person] takes bias [partiality] to the extreme. USURER: INTEREST A usurer [a person charging too much interest on loans] takes interest to the extreme. GOUGER: PRICE A gouger [a person overpricing things] takes prices to the extreme. PARANOID: SUSPICION A paranoid [a madly suspicious person] takes suspicion to its limit. QUIXOTE: IDEALISM A Quixote [madly idealistic person] takes idealism to the extreme. ZEALOT {FANATIC}: FERVOR {PASSION} A zealot [over-enthusiastic person] takes passion [enthusiasm] to its limit. SKEPTIC: DOUBT A skeptic [a person doubting too much] takes doubt to the extreme. IDOLATER: ADMIRATION An idolater [hero-worshipping person] takes admiration to its limit. DUPE: TRUST A dupe [easily trusting person] has extreme trust. TOADY {FLATTERER}: COMPLIANCE A toady [flattering person] shows excessive compliance [obedience].

To be FRUGAL, we’ve seen, is to be ECONOMICAL. When we’re TOO ECONOMICAL, we become MISERLY.

The following are SYNONYMS of MISERLY: PARSIMONIOUS

NIGGARDLY

TIGHT-FISTED CLOSE-FISTED PENURIOUS STINGY STINTING Look at the following ANALOGY: COMPLIANT: SERVILE {When we’re servile, we’re too compliant (obedient).} FRUGAL: PENURIOUS {When we’re penurious (miserly), we’re too frugal (economical).} When we’re very FRUGAL, people mistake us to be MISERLY.