That which is innate and unchosen in man, shaping his instincts, his passions, his fears, and his follies. Older than law, deeper than culture, immune to will and design, its expression may change among men yet its essence is shared amongst all.
The act of repeating an idea without sufficient understanding, presenting it as one’s own — whether knowingly or through self-deception. It is defined not by mere repetition, but by the absence of internalisation and by the pretence of authorship. Ventriloquism may be fluent, even persuasive, but it is intellectually fraudulent and contributes nothing of value to collective discourse. It is distinguished from quotation or the propagation of ideas by its lack of comprehension and its presentation of imitation as original thought.
