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[RC] Confusing Terms - Bruce WearyOkay Tom, let's test your premise that words have "clear specific meanings, or should have..."You said that Truman has confused the term "winner" with "finisher". I would submit that you have equated the term "winner" with "first to finish", and as such you feel it is literary blasphemy to use the word "winner" to describe anything or anyone but the "first finisher." As Kat has so eloquently pointed out, words only have the meanings that we assign them. I realize that your milieu has historically been, and continues to be, the hard-driving competitive world of various forms of horse racing. As such, the words "winning" and "winner" would rarely be used in any context other than to signify the "first to finish." Granted. The problem begins when we realize that those words, and the emotional power they convey and impart to people, have come to mean different things in settings other than venues of serious competition. And the intent is not to degrade or dilute the accomplishments of the "winners" in those fields. I think it's very necessary, and in fact in everyone's best interest to allow and even encourage this. Let me explain. Every year, tens of thousands of runners line up to run a marathon. After all the sweat, pavement pounding, heart attacks, nausea, dehydration and delirium are over, there stands one victor, the "first to finish." Would you volunteer to hang the medal around the neck of the second place runner that says, as one of our own endurance riders has put it "1st Loser"? And then admonish him that since words have clear meanings, he is prohibited from acting like a winner, feeling like a winner or referring to being a winner in any way, lest the rest of us become confused by the use of that term? And what about the other several thousand or so students, housewives, plumbers, grandmothers, amputees ( I saw a documentary about a guy who had no legs and did a marathon on his fists--took him four days) and other "non-first finishers"? Would you show up to tell them that, while they are to be congratulated for their efforts, the world in no way recognizes them as "winners" (as that word already has a clear definition), nor should they dare to feel like winners? Only the guy from Nairobi shaking the Mayor's hand can truthfully say that. In the Special Olympics, those pesky mentally challenged and physically disabled children, who we see careening madly down a high school track, arms and legs flailing wildly, desparately trying to stay in their lane, with those priceless goofy grins on their faces.......... When they finally reach the finish line and collapse in the arms of their "hugger" who is waiting for each of them at the end of the race, they are each given a medal for participation--- and for finishing, if not winning. When they proudly hang that medal on their bedroom wall at home, could we get something on your letterhead to hang next to it that essentially says "While this medal is being awarded for participation, it in no way signifies that winning of any kind took place here."? Now Tom, I realize that the sport of endurance riding probably presents as somewhat of an enigma to you. Everyone in an endurance ride knows it's a race. They all know there will be a "first to finish." They know that they are chasing the same finish line that the front runners are. The difference between this and almost every other kind of race out there, is that MOST of the participants aren't even trying to win the race. In fact it's the farthest thing from the minds of all but the front five or ten riders. Some riders will even play tricks on one another in order to assure that they are themselves the last to finish, and covet the "Turtle Award." You don't see THAT at NASCAR. Your strategies are helpful to those with the aspirations to finish high in the standings. But they represent the small minority of the people involved in this sport. As such, the definition of the word "winnner" has (without your permission, of course) been assigned an additional interpretation or meaning, that of a person who has successfully and safely guided his steed over a long and challenging course to arrive at the finish line, within the allotted time, sound and able to continue. I mean no facetiousness. I want to honor your definition of "winner", as well. I presume that your definition of the word "winner" assumes that the person holding that title is actually IN the race? Not coaching from the sidelines? That's not fair to you. If you aren't mounting up and riding to a finish line somewhere, how can you ever feel like a winner? You can get satisfaction from coaching others to victory, but it's the guy on the horse that's declared the winner, not the coach, right? I propose a solution to that dilemma. A match race. Grab a horse, any horse you like. I'll bring my Foxtrotter mare, who I think can do 100 miles in a day. I know I can. Let's ride to the finish line. I'll be waiting for you there with a cold beer, and, if and when you finish, Darn it, I will have to recognize you as a "winner", as our sport has defined it. Believe me, if you ride that far in 24 hours, you'll feel like a winner. Bruce Weary =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. 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