The Meaning of Anti

I was watching a show and the word "Anti-" kept popping in my mind. I feel a need to explain the meaning of it. Because people don't get it.

The word "anti" is a Greek word (Anti) . The usual meaning that we all know is that it means "opposing", "against" or "counteracting". However, while studying on Greek mythology and just studying on certain Greek words, I found out that Greek words don't just have one layer of meaning. The other meaning would be "instead of" or "in place of".

It doesn't make sense to use it that way because we never use it that way in the English language. But the original meaning of the word still applies, without us knowing.


The "Anti" has always been used to portray a party with opposing views to neutralize the situation or just counteract it. If there's concern about terrorism, an anti-terrorism campaign is launched. If there's war, anti-war campaign would be mentioned.

However, it doesn't work that way.

It is starting to seem to me, the "Anti" that is created, ends up promoting the concern. The "Anti" gives it a reason to act in the name of the concern. If there is a group suddenly announces openly that it is anti-religion or anti-race, the concerned religion or race will have a reason to take actions against that group and in return, promote their own cause.

It can be hard to grasp the concept and it takes time to see it.

Look at the elections. There's usually an anti-candidate campaign going around. It gives attention to the candidate for the hatred he is getting but it also puts the candidate in the media spotlight more than ever. And more hype is generated for the candidate than the other candidate without an anti- campaign.

Look at depression. Anti-depressants were created to cure it. But I've come across online postings from people who suffer from depression that it can make depression worse. I've wondered a lot over it. It seems (to me) that the depression condition just takes over in a different form. Just like the Greek meaning of "in place of".

Look at antiparticle. It is the same as a particle of the same mass but of opposite charge. I would say it is the same thing, just of different charge.

Get it?
Get it?

Same thing, different charge.

They are after the same thing, but are portrayed differently. The agenda remains the same

If you want to push a religious cause, create an anti-religion...
If you want to push for war, create an anti-war..
If you want to push for terrorism, create an anti-terrorism campaign.

This is how our world works today. It is not right.

If you truly want to end these chaos, ask for a religious harmony campaign or a peace campaign.
Not the Anti-something campaign.

Not when you don't know what you are dealing with.

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Just found out in Egyptian mythology, there's a god called Anti. He is the god of ferrymen.

Seth did not want Isis to disrupt his meeting so he instructed Anti not to give her a ride. But Isis disguised herself and got Anti to give her a ferry ride over and she disrupted the meeting.

Seth was anti-Isis but Isis came over anyway and she got in his way.

Get it?


You can probably figure out what the Antichrist means from here.