Metahemeralism

Bunny writes a paper linking John Donne and Isaak Walton by metahemeralism, “from the Latin,” he says, but this is not entirely true. Something about the irony of the pastoral. The premise alone knocks his tie askew and ties his hair in knots. When it is done, Henry asks if he shouldn’t discuss Donne more, to which Bunny replies, “Donne? I don’t want to drag him into this.” 

Donna Tartt gives us metahemeralism in The Secret History, in the late-night ramblings of one who is later found dead in the woods. 

• Meta-: A prefix meaning beyond, above, or transcending. 
• -hemeral-: Derived from the Greek hemera(day), relating to ephemeral or things that last only a day.

It is a made-up word for made-up characters who pretentiously and precociously aspire to live beyond the mundane by using words like this.

This is what I’m thinking about today. And I’m going to try thinking about it tomorrow and the day after that. I believe that counts.