Bulshytt

The book Anathem by Neal Stephenson has been an inspiration for this site. The book is set on Arbre, an another world very much like the Earth, except that it has a couple of thousand years more of recorded history, and at least two more civilization wide disasters. The powers that be have evolved to largely blame the unbridled use of technology and science for these catastrophes (rather that their poor decisions) and have isolated the philosophers and scientists in to something called “maths;” something like a cross between a co-ed monastery and prison, where they have dedication to research and thought instead of religion.

By the end of the novel the “mundane” world and that of the maths are more open to each other and the prison element of the math begins to fall away, however the “Mathic” society has not given up their sense of purpose, mission or dedication for the principled, reasoned search for truth.

One of the best “new” terms on the alternate earth is the term “bulshytt”;

Adapted from Anathem:

Bulshytt: (1) In in general usege, a derogatory term for false speech, esp. knowing and deliberate falsehood or obfuscation. (2) In Mathic use and with this spelling, a more technical and clinical term denoting speech (typically but not necessarily commercial or political) that employs euphemism, convenient vagueness, numbing repetition, and other such rhetorical subterfuges to create the impression that something has been said, when it has not.

Calling attention to bulshytt is an important function of the Resistance. Our own as well as others