Word: self
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Dates: during 1870-1879
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...Conceit us. Custom," in this paper, began by twisting the writer's words from their meaning, and misconceiving his aim. He accuses "Ossip" of making the sweeping assertion that "whoever believes that `complete independence is the only position that can be taken by a man who has any self-respect,' is apt to be `a disappointed aspirant for popularity.'" Now "Ossip" made no such assertion. Our statements were confined to particular cases which we had in mind. We said that there are men in college who show in an offensive and silly way their complete independence and their hostility...
...OSSIP," the writer of "Conceit vs. Custom," in the last Crimson, says that whoever believes that "complete independence is the only position that can be taken by a man who has any self-respect" is apt to be "a disappointed aspirant for popularity"; that such a person "openly depreciate[s] what he inwardly esteem[s]"; that he "blurts out his opinion" and pronounces "unsolicited his views on college life and the motives which he thinks should guide it"; and that "he calls every one a toady who is not of his way of thinking." "Hatred toward the popular," "Ossip" quotes...
Undoubtedly the writer does demolish his independent man, but that creature is made chiefly of straw. For why a man to be completely independent (as every man of self-respect should be) need "blurt" out unasked his opinions or his views on college life and its proper motives does not appear. Nor is the reason evident why he should call every one who is not of his way of thinking a toady. Nor does it seem very clear why he should scorn the esteem, respect, and friendship of manly...
...independent man. In the face of established and recognized principles he blurts out his opinions. He thinks it is great and original to pronounce, though unsolicited, his views on college life, and the motives which he thinks should guide it. Not only does he air his notions with self-complacency, but he calls every one a toady who is not of his way of thinking. This is his self-respect! It looks more like a lack of gentlemanly feeling towards others...
...think the cause of such a man's unpopularity is his disregard of the fact that there is a mean between servility and self-assertion. It is a tendency common in young men to take extremes. They seem to feel, in spite of the auream mediocritatem of Horace (who, by the by, knew more about the world than they do), that their sense of right will not admit of their pursuing any course that lies between obsequiousness and arrogance. I recognize as plainly as any one can the need of a man's sticking to the right if he would...