osten@hurricane.seas.ucla.edu writes:

...

It does my heart good to hear someone use the term 'grok' -- I don't hear many folks use that term very much anymore. ,-) What does it mean? Well, it comes from the book Stranger In A Strange Land. It's a martian word that implies an understanding of something. The main character was right when he said that there is no human word for it.

At the risk of starting a whole philosophical debate, here goes the longer version: When you Grok something, you understand its purpose and existance instinctually, spiritually, and intellectually. It's not something you can explain concretely, it's just something who's concept is so thoroughly understandable as to be outside the realms of that which is explanable. A good example is this: A child groks that his parents will take care of him, and that they will protect him and keep him safe. He couldn't explain to you why he feels that way. He just groks the meaning of the relationship. That, IMHO, is GROK. It's an understanding that lies so deeply within you that it is inseperable from your state of being. --Jeff -- ====== ====== +----------------jgostin@eternal.pha.pa.us----------------+ == == | The new, improved, environmentally safe, bigger, better,| == == -= | faster, hypo-allergenic, AND politically correct .sig. | ==== ====== | Now with a new fresh lemon scent! | PGP Key Available +---------------------------------------------------------+ -- ====== ====== +----------------jgostin@eternal.pha.pa.us----------------+ == == | The new, improved, environmentally safe, bigger, better,| == == -= | faster, hypo-allergenic, AND politically correct .sig. | ==== ====== | Now with a new fresh lemon scent! | PGP Key Available +---------------------------------------------------------+