The steps...

By Vichara


While the grand schemes and big plans in life are essential to inspire us to greater things we must remember it is the small steps that bring us to the ultimate end. In the small steps we learn the necessary benchmarks that will gauge our progression to whatever goal we are reaching for. It is in the small steps where we learn the tolerance and compassion not only for others, but for ourselves too.

revanche • \ruh-VAHNSH (the N is not pronounced, but the vowel is nasalized)\ • noun
: revenge; especially : a usually political policy designed to recover lost territory or status
Example Sentence:
Soon after losing the northern territory to the invading army, the king began drafting a plan of revanche to get it back.
Did you know?
"Revanche" first appeared in English in the mid-19th century, deriving, along with our noun "revenge," from the Middle French verb "revenchier" ("to revenge"). The word developed its specific political application in the years following the Franco-German War (1870-71), which resulted in France losing the territory known as Alsace-Lorraine to Germany. (The territory was returned to France following World War I and then twice switched hands again during World War II.) Although "revanche" appears occasionally in English today, you are more likely to encounter its relatives "revanchism," which refers to a government's policy of revanche, and "revanchist," referring to a follower of such a policy. These words did not appear in English until the 20th century.

A change in perception...

By Vichara


A slight change in perception will often lead you to discoveries that you would normally pass over. In our daily activities there are many elements of repetition, but like a fine craftsman / woman repeatedly buffing a fine piece of metal or wood, it will soon reveal a beauty that only comes from diligent and careful focus. While we may view some activities as plainly boring, these same movements of mind and body could reveal to you and those around you a hidden treasure that will help you and others. Reflect in the mundane and through your diligence, discover something that could change many perceptions.

basilisk • \BASS-uh-lisk\ • adjective
: suggesting a legendary reptile with fatal breath and glance : baleful, spellbinding
Example Sentence:
Trina leveled a basilisk glare at me after I told her what had happened to her car.
Did you know?
In Hellenic and Roman legend, a basilisk (also called a cockatrice) was a serpent-like creature capable of destroying other creatures by way of its deadly stare. The modern basilisk is a lizard that belongs to the family Iguanidae and supposedly resembles this fabled monster; it has a large, inflatable crest atop its head and is sometimes called a “Jesus Christ lizard” for its ability to run quickly across the surface of water. The use of “basilisk” as an adjective occurs most frequently in phrases such as “basilisk stare”; recalling the notorious gaze of the legendary basilisk, it describes the deep and piercing look of someone who is frightening or seductive.

Amazing new treatment found...

By Vichara


There has been a recent discovery of a ground-breaking treatment for many physiological woes. It has been known to an older generation and to those fortunate to discover it through a friend or family. The technical name for this treatment is called MBLQ-10. There are no harsh chemicals, it’s organic and the side effects are actually beneficial for the curing of the inflictions. I highly recommend this treatment for those suffering from stress, anxiety and other symptoms related to mental disorders brought on by current world situations. MBLQ-10 stands for Marx Brothers Laughter Quotient 10, 10 for the high level on the SC (Silliness Scale). Go on-line or rent of the numerous doses like “A Night At The Opera” or “Animal Crackers” and it will lower your stress level. 4 out 5 nuts agree, MBL-10 is effective…get yours today!


imbibition • \im-buh-BISH-un\ • noun
: the act or action of imbibing : the act or action of drinking or taking in liquid
Example Sentence:
The sign at the entrance to the building stated that the imbibition of alcoholic beverages on the premises was prohibited.
Did you know?
Joseph Thomas James Hewlett was a 19th-century English curate and schoolmaster who supplemented his insufficient income by writing novels. In Parsons and Widows, in which the author disguises himself as "the Curate of Mosbury," Hewlett provided us with the first known use of "imbibition" to refer to a person’s drinking, in the phrase "imbibition of a little strong beer." Until then, "imbibition" had been used scientifically to refer to various processes of soaking and absorption, or figuratively, to the taking in of knowledge. (The word is still used scientifically today to refer to the taking up of fluid.) "Imbibition" traces back to Latin "imbibere," a verb whose meaning "to drink in" includes absorption of liquids, consuming drink, and appropriating ideas.

Take a break....

By Vichara


At various points in the day when things can get a bit crazy and frenetic we all must take a few minutes to step back, breathe and just take a moment. Get off the “ride” for a few minutes and remind ourselves that this is just not some random ride but we all have a purpose here. A wise man once said “Ooogaleee boogalee bim bop swaheelee snobbaluu bop walla walla floopeee butt”. Which means, “Think and act with the foundation of compassion”.

onerous • \AH-nuh-rus\ • adjective
1 : involving, imposing, or constituting a burden : troublesome
2 : having legal obligations that outweigh the advantages

Example Sentence:
Christy considered driving her sister to ballet practice to be an onerous task.

Did you know?
"Onerous," which traces back to the Latin "onus," meaning "burden," has several synonyms. Like "onerous," "burdensome," "oppressive," and "exacting" all refer to something which imposes a hardship of some kind. "Onerous" stresses a sense of laboriousness and heaviness, especially because something is distasteful ("the onerous task of cleaning up the mess"). "Burdensome" suggests something which causes mental as well as physical strain ("the burdensome responsibilities of being a supervisor"). "Oppressive" implies extreme harshness or severity in what is imposed ("the oppressive tyranny of a police state"). "Exacting" suggests rigor or sternness rather than tyranny or injustice in the demands made or in the one demanding ("an exacting employer who requires great attention to detail").

So, now what?...

By Vichara


At some point your mind will bring you to the brink where you will need to deal with your immortality. As harsh as these words may seem, you will need to become acquainted with this part of you. As that famous quote by that 1970’s rock icon goes, “no one gets out of here alive”. As easy as it is to breathe while you are reading this, you will cease to be this living creature with a name attached to it for identification. So what do you do in the meantime?

pleonasm • \PLEE-uh-naz-um\ • noun
1 : the use of more words than those necessary to denote mere sense : redundancy
2 : an instance or example of pleonasm

Example Sentence:
"One pleonasm that bugs me is 'free gift,'" said Donna. "After all, how can anything be a gift if it isn't free?"

Did you know?
"Pleonasm," which stems via Late Latin from the Greek verb "pleonazein" ("to be excessive"), is a fancy word for "redundancy." It's related to our words "plus" and "plenty," and ultimately it goes back to the Greek word for "more," which is "pleōn." Pleonasm is commonly considered a fault of style, but it can also serve a useful function. "Extra" words can sometimes be helpful to a speaker or writer in getting a message across, adding emphasis, or simply adding an appealing sound and rhythm to a phrase -- as, for example, with the pleonasm "I saw it with my own eyes!"

Good news...

By Vichara


We need more good news!! 99% of the news that is shoveled at all of us in one given day falls under various categories, all of them negative. It is no wonder that the overall feeling being carried by most of us is fed by this sense of hopelessness. But we watching it on TV or reading it in magazines or newspapers. While we cannot hide our heads in the sand and avoid the real situations in the world, there are other stories out there that are no negative and should be brought forth. These stories happen everyday and should be given the same spotlight as the negative. We need equal time for the positive that DOES exist out there. Why in New York a man named Eric Piennar dove into the icy waters of the Hudson River to save a woman that dove into the river in an attempted suicide. Risking his own life, he held on to her and the sea wall until they both made it of the frozen waters to safety. You can bet that not many newscasts reported this story or if it was it buried in newspaper. We need to be reminded, even in this environment of deceit and hate that there is still positive out there. It does exist and that is…good news.

spume • \SPYOOM\ • noun
: frothy matter on liquids : foam, scum
Example Sentence:
The spume and sea spray from the rising tide made the rocks along the beach slick and treacherous.
Did you know?
"Spume" is a word for froth or foam that has been a part of the English lexicon for more than 600 years. An early example is found in a 14th-century quotation from the English poet John Gower: "She set a cauldron on the fire … and let it boil in such a plight, till that she saw the spume [was] white." "Spume" was borrowed from Anglo-French "espume" or "spume," and can be traced further back to Latin "spuma." "Spuma" is also akin to Old English "fām," a word that is the ancestor of the modern English "foam," a synonym of "spume." Another relative of "spuma" is "pumex," the Latin word for pumice, a volcanic rock with a somewhat foamy appearance that is formed from a rapidly cooling, frothy lava.

The key to happiness...

By Vichara


Is there a key to true happiness? So many books, TV shows and magazines all of them claiming to know the key to happiness that will change all our lives forever. While admirable in their attempt this topic has been investigated by hundreds and hundreds of people, both young and old for centuries. And here I believe as simple and naïve as it may seems, is the key. There is no one key to happiness. With every individual person there is an individual key, unique to that person. As much as their may be commonalities that we may all share in one way or another, when we try to apply one measurement to all it will fail. The one thing that I do believe we all can agree on is the foundation where happiness can flourish is when each person can maintain love, hope and compassion for all others seeking their key to happiness.

whipsaw • \WIP-saw\ • verb
1 : to saw with a whipsaw
2 : to beset or victimize in two opposite ways at once, by a two-phase operation, or by the collusive action of two opponents

Example Sentence:
"Wage earners have been whipsawed by inflation and high taxes for too long," proclaimed the Senator.

Did you know?
A whipsaw is a type of handsaw worked by two people, one of whom stands on or above the log being sawed and the other below it, usually in a pit. The tool dates back to the 15th century, but it was not until the 1870s that anyone thought to use the saw's name figuratively to describe situations in which someone or something is doubly "cut," or hurt. Today, the word is commonly used when discussing financial crises or losses. For example, just recently a chief executive explained in a press statement that his company was "whipsawed in the fourth quarter as key industries were hit by a rapidly deteriorating economy and plunging commodity prices." (The New York Times, January 27, 2009)

Keep curious!!!!...

By Vichara


Keep curious! For the future of mankind do not be spoon-fed ideas, concepts and dreams. Remember the excitement when you would turn over a rock to see what was underneath? Use this same methodology everyday. The “Media” wants you to listen, buy, use and watch what they are showing you unconditionally. Don’t be a sucker to a travelling medicine show and be curious. Ask questions. Keep those sparks flying in your brain. Engage others, kids, friends and parents to use their brain for more than just a receptacle for someone else’s ideas, thoughts and stories.

diminution • \dim-uh-NOO-shun\ • noun
: the act, process, or an instance of diminishing : decrease

Example Sentence:
After seeing a diminution in his restaurant’s profits for the third quarter in a row, George reluctantly set about revising his business model.

Did you know?
We find "diminution" in print for the first time in Geoffrey Chaucer's poetical work "Troilus and Criseyde." Chaucer used "make diminution" in contrast to the verb "increase" (he could have used the verb "decrease," but he needed to create a weak rhyme with "discretion"). "Diminution" came to English by way of Anglo-French from Latin. Its Latin ancestor "deminuere" ("to diminish") is also an ancestor of "diminishment," a synonym of "diminution" that English speakers have been using since the 16th century.

4 out 5 doctors agree...

By Vichara


4 out of 5 doctors agree…experts say…leading industry officials recommend. There is always some unknown authority guiding our decisions but there is one area that no perceived authority should have dominion over and that is your spiritual domain. There is only one expert that goes by three names, love, patience & compassion. These three should guide your steps as you walk today.

hackle • \HACK-ul\ • noun
1 : one of the long feathers on the neck or back of a bird
2 : hairs (as on a dog's neck) that can be erected
3 : temper, dander

Example Sentence:
The Senator's aggressive stance toward illegal immigration has raised some hackles.

Did you know?
In its earliest uses in the 15th century, "hackle" denoted either a bird's neck plumage or an instrument used to comb out long fibers of flax, hemp, or jute. Apparently, some folks saw a resemblance between the neck feathers of domestic birds -- which, on a male, become erect when the bird is defensive -- and the prongs of the comb-like tool. In the 19th century, English speakers extended the word's use to both dogs and people. Like the bird's feathers, the erectile hairs on the back of a dog's neck stand up when the animal is agitated. With humans, use of the word "hackles" is usually figurative. When you raise someone's hackles, you make them angry or put them on the defensive

The new hunter / gatherer...

By Vichara


Today let’s be like our ancient forefathers and be hunter / gatherer types. Let’s not gather anything that is physically tangible but gatherers of our experience with the world around us. Stop from rushing and take 5 minutes to sit and watch without judgment. Listen without expectation and feel without attachment. Place these in a mental basket each day and watch how the colors grow and the sounds get sweeter.

keelhaul • \KEEL-hawl\ • verb
1 : to haul under the keel of a ship as punishment or torture
2 : to rebuke severely

Example Sentence:
"The movie gives voice to the growing number of people who are concerned with corporate abuses but do not want to keelhaul Wall Street." (Alan Saracevic, The San Francisco Chronicle, May 30, 2004)

Did you know?
In the mid-1600s, British monarchs were intent on using their powerful navy to expand their empire. Insubordination was not tolerated, and mutinous sailors were disciplined severely to discourage others from similar rebellion. "Keelhauling" was one of the worst penalties that could befall a renegade mariner. Although they definitely practiced the gruesome punishment, the British did not invent it -- the Dutch did. "Keelhaul" is a translation of the Dutch word "kielhalen," which means "to haul under the keel of a ship." Even after the practice was banned on European naval vessels in the mid-1800s, the word "keelhaul" remained in English as a term for a severe scolding.

In the smallest ways...

By Vichara


Am I doing this right? We ask ourselves this all the time everyday. I do this when I write these thoughts. Is it validation of our existence? Do we count? Are we doing the right things? Well in asking these types of questions to ourselves we are. If we didn’t ask we would not care, but we do. Our presence in each other’s lives does have its place and you all make a difference, even in the smallest ways.

slumgullion • \SLUM-gull-yun\ • noun
: a meat stew

Example Sentence:
On Monday nights at the mess hall, the enlisted men and women could expect a meal of slumgullion made from the previous week’s leftovers.

Did you know?
"Slumgullion" may not sound like the most appetizing name for a dish, but that’s part of its charm. The word’s etymology doesn’t do it any favors: "slumgullion" is believed to be derived from "slum," an old word for "slime," and "gullion," an English dialectical term for "mud" or "cesspool." The earliest recorded usage of "slumgullion," in Mark Twain’s Roughing It (1872), refers not to a stew but a beverage. The sense referring to the stew debuted about two decades later, and while there is no consensus on exactly what kinds of ingredients are found in it, that’s the "slumgullion" that lives on today.

Your own light switch...

By Vichara


When you turn the light on in a room it is of course to allow you to see your way so you won’t trip and fall. The action of flipping the switch is so habitual it is almost second nature. The same sort of switch exists within ourselves to help us see our way through difficulties and challenges. But for some reason we may not have developed this second nature trigger movement within ourselves like we have with the physical light switch. We all have this internal mechanism but of course the key is that we need to recognize and develop it. How do we do this? Many ways but the gate as far as I can see is to be of course cognizant that you have it and take at least 5 minutes a day, breathe and observe your body’s reaction to thoughts and allow them to find the switch, the answer, the illuminated path.

lexical • \LEK-sih-kul\ • adjective
1 : of or relating to words or the vocabulary of a language as distinguished from its grammar and construction
2 : of or relating to a lexicon or to lexicography

Example Sentence:
As stated in the catalog, the university’s second-year language courses were designed to emphasize lexical skills.

Did you know?
The word "lexicon" can be used as a synonym of "dictionary," and the word "lexicography" refers to the practice of dictionary making. Both of these words, as well as "lexical," derive from the Greek word "lexis," meaning "word" or "speech." A fourth descendant of "lexis" is "lexiphonic," an adjective describing one who uses pretentious words for effect. "Lexis" should not be confused with the Latin "lex," or "law," which is used in legal phrases such as "lex non scripta," meaning "unwritten law."

Today...

By Vichara


Drink from the “cup of today” as every drop would be the difference between life and death, pain and pleasure, knowing or not knowing. Breathe and fill your lungs with possibilities. Listen to the rustling of ideas that vibrate all around and see as if each blink of your eyes you’re given an infinite number of different lens to see the world…it’s up to you.

anecdote • \AN-ik-doht\ • noun
: a usually short narrative of an interesting, amusing, or biographical incident
Example Sentence:
Pastor Andrews often included light-hearted anecdotes from his personal experience in his Sunday sermons.
Did you know?
The Byzantine official Procopius wrote three historical works in Greek. In the first two, he dealt with wars and public works projects, but the third was something of a departure from this kind of history. Referred to as "Anekdota," from the Greek "a-" meaning "not," and "ekdidonai," meaning "to publish," it contained bitter attacks on the emperor Justinian, his wife, and other notables of contemporary Constantinople. Understandably, it was not published until after its writer's death. English speakers originally used an anglicized version of the book's name for similar secret or unpublished histories or biographies, and by the 17th century, the meaning of "anecdote" had been broadened to cover any interesting or amusing personal tale.

A path of communion...

By Vichara


One of the reasons we are “here” is not necessarily to solve things but to discover things that illicit more discussion, more discovery and more interaction. As it is that from this interaction we discover the seed of communion that unites us all and keeps us from division. The more union of thought, the more there is an opportunity to see beyond the Maya that is set up as a stumbling block and to lead one another on to a clearer path. This is not so easily obtained with the divisions that are set up but we can when we try to take a collective step back, blow away the smoke and turn the mirrors away. Here the vista is much more defined and from here the path is clear.

metathesis • \muh-TATH-uh-sis\ • noun
1 a : a change of place or condition: as *b : transposition of two phonemes in a word c : a chemical reaction in which different kinds of molecules exchange parts to form other kinds of molecules

Example Sentence:
When I listened to the recording of the child's speech, I noticed several instances of metathesis.

Did you know?
One familiar example of metathesis is our word "thrill," which was "thyrlian" in Old English and "thirlen" in Middle English. By the late 16th century, native English speakers had switched the placement of the "r" to form "thrill." Another example is the alteration of "curd" into "crud" (the earliest sense of which was, unsurprisingly, "curd"). It probably won't surprise you to learn that the origin of "metathesis" lies in the idea of transposition -- the word was borrowed into English in the mid-16th century and derives, via Late Latin, from the Greek verb "metatithenai," meaning "to transpose."

Traveling farther...

By Vichara


I look at the moon nestled in a bed of stars, floating out there calmly passing through the night sky and I think, “I will never go there”. But I do think of where I have been and what I have seen and I believe that if laid out, end-to-end, all of them would probably reach that illuminated orb. We all, regardless of the physical miles, have traveled so far in our lives that a conventional map would not adequately translate the twists and turns, the peaks and valleys and of course the lost roads and dead ends. But when we stand, stalled not seeing the next step from these dead ends, we need to take a moment, breathe and allow the vista to unfold that hidden road and soon you will be on your way. Maybe to the moon.

clepe • \KLEP\ • verb
: to name or to call
Example Sentence:
The Maxwells' boat was a beautiful old wooden sloop, yclept "True Love."
Did you know?
"Clepe" itself is a word that is considered archaic and nearly obsolete, but its past participle "yclept" (pronounced ih-KLEPT) continues to be used, albeit rarely. In Old English, the prefix "ge-" denoted the completion or result of an action; in Middle English, the prefix shifted to "y-" and appeared in words such as "ybaptised" and "yoccupied." Eventually, all the "y-" words except "yclept" fell into disuse. One reason that "yclept" persists may be that it provides a touch of playfulness that appeals to some writers. Another may be that although "yclept" is an unfamiliar term to most people, its meaning can usually be inferred from context. Whatever the reason, "yclept" continues to turn up occasionally in current publications despite its strange and antiquated look.

5 years ago...

By Vichara


5 years ago my sister passed away from a form of cancer that became her constant companion for about 6 years. While for some this would turn their lives into a dark downward spiral, my sister recognized the severity of the situation and still carries on with her good-hearted nature. She used the suspected time that she was given, not to mope and complain, but to engage and inspire. It would take pages to account the number of selfless, kind and sometimes-anonymous acts she did during her last years. While not exactly an inspirational thought for the morning it is a reminder, one that she would agree and approve of, that we don’t really get to do over yesterday, but we can try to make today much better. Through at least one selfless act for someone else try to make this a better world with the time we have left here.

girandole • \JEER-un-dohl\ • noun
1 : a radiating and showy composition (as a cluster of skyrockets fired together)
*2 : an ornamental branched candlestick
3 : a pendant earring usually with three ornaments hanging from a central piece
Example Sentence:
"I sat in my usual nook, and looked at him with the light of the girandoles on the mantelpiece beaming full over him…." (Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre)
Did you know?
The earliest uses of "girandole" in English, in the 17th century, referred to a kind of firework or to something, such as a fountain, with a radiating pattern like that of a firework. Such a pattern is reflected in the word’s etymology: "girandole" can be traced back, by way of French and Italian, to the Latin word "gyrus," meaning "gyre" or "a circular or spiral motion or form." By the 18th century "girandole" was being used for a branched candlestick, perhaps due to its resemblance to the firework. The word’s third sense, referring to a kind of earring, did not appear in English until the 19th century.

The fuse is lit...

By Vichara


I would like to take a moment to quote from one of my favorite spiritual writers, Eknath Easwaran. If you are not familiar with this wonderful professor, I highly recommend him. “So much energy is spent on trying to rise above the fray in order to understand your place in our own lifetime. We are also bound by the limitations that time places on our body and mind. With the fuse lit when we are born we most of the time fail to see the lit fuse until there is very little of it left before we combust from this world to whatever is next”. I know it may seem difficult to do but we should try to recognize that your “fuse” is lit. Not to create a heightened sense of urgency but to enhance the quality of each moment. Elevate the presence of each day from a series of mundane moments to a cavalcade of compassionate acts not only for yourself but for the world around you.

cognate • \KAHG-nayt\ • adjective
*1 : of the same or similar nature
2 : related; especially : related by descent from the same ancestral language
Example Sentence:
Sean is a professor of astronomy whose background includes extensive work in the cognate fields of mathematics and physics.
Did you know?
The story of "cognate" is all relative: that is, it's all about relatives. Cognate words share an ancestor, like "allude" and "prelude" (which both trace to the Latin root "ludere") and the English "brother" and the German "Bruder" (which are both related to the Greek "phrater"). Cognate languages, like French, Spanish, and Italian, descend from the same ancestral language. People related through a common ancestor are cognate, and groups of people, such as tribes, can be cognate to one another. "Cognate" also describes things related in a more figurative way, as in "cognate developments," "cognate disciplines," or "cognate problems." "Cognate" itself comes from the Latin "cognatus" which traces to Latin "nasci" meaning "to be born." Some words cognate to "cognate" include "innate," "nascent," "native," and "Renaissance.

Each step, each deed...

By Vichara


All our daily actions are tempered by knowledge and guidance given to us from what we have read or seen and from those who have helped or hindered us. All of our senses ingesting and digesting the best and the worst of humanity. If one is given only violence, one would only know violence. If one is given only compassion, one would only know compassion. The world does not work that way. It is a collection of competing contrasts that present themselves to us and ask us yo judge and act accordingly. How we act will be how the world sees us. How do you want to be remembered? Our personal legacies may not be as large as people like Rosa Parks, Gandhi, Einstein and others but it is no less important. Each step, word and deed counts and will be counted.

unreconstructed • \un-ree-kun-STRUK-tud\ • adjective
: not reconciled to some political, economic, or social change; also : holding stubbornly to a particular belief, view, place, or style
Example Sentence:
My uncle, a self-designated unreconstructed liberal who wrote frequent letters to the editor, was never one to keep his opinions to himself.
Did you know?
The reorganization and reestablishment of the seceded states in the Union after the American Civil War is referred to as the Reconstruction. In 1867 a writer for Harper's Weekly came up with the word "unreconstructed" for political candidates not reconciled to the outcome of the War and the changes enacted during the Reconstruction. The word immediately caught on with readers and has been used to refer to intransigent or dyed-in-the-wool partisans ever since. The word has also been used outside of political and social contexts. For instance, a person might be "an unreconstructed rocker" or "an unreconstructed romantic."

Taking back...

By Vichara


Gandhi once said, “an eye for an eye, makes the whole world blind.” Let’s say now, today, as we wake up and meet the world, a heart for a heart makes the whole world see. By engaging in one simple act of kindness rooted in a compassionate heart, we can make a difference. On simple act will inspire another to another to another, until it becomes a force and not a tiny voice, as some perceive to be. By bucking system of negativity we can stake control of a world with a vision of love, patience and compassion.

cyberpunk • \SY-ber-punk\ • noun
*1 : science fiction dealing with future urban societies dominated by computer technology
2 : an opportunistic computer hacker
Example Sentence:
Cyberpunk -- with its androids and cyborgs and human-electronic networks -- almost turns reading into a computer game.
Did you know?
In science fiction circles, "cyberpunk" is a genre that often features countercultural antiheroes trapped in a dehumanizing high-tech future. Its roots extend back to the technical fiction of the 1940s and '50s, but it was years before it matured. The word "cyberpunk" was coined by writer Bruce Bethke, who wrote a story with that title in 1980. He created the term by combining "cybernetics," the science of replacing human functions with computerized ones, and "punk," the raucous music and nihilistic sensibility that became a youth culture in the 1970s and '80s. Not until the 1984 publication of William Gibson's novel, Neuromancer, however, did "cyberpunk" really take off as a term or a genre.