My New Love

One of my topics for my exam this week was the idea of 'saving face' in China. One of my students gave me a fantastic answer which opened like this (paraphasing slightly):

'Peter, saving face is a very ambiguous idea. There are really three aspects of saving face, one is peacockery, one is indignity, and one is self-esteem'.

He continued from there with a great answer, but I could hardly believe the first sentence. My students are not English majors, and they are not given the topics beforehand. BUT what impressed me most was the use of the word peacockery. I've never really had a favourite word before, but at that moment I knew, I just knew that I would never be able to find a word that makes my heart feel as warm as peacockery can. I'm going to spend the rest of my days thinking of new and clever ways to use it in my daily life; I promise to never let a day go by without discussing peacockery, or, more likely, accusing others of peacockery, and to keep myself humble, I'll even admit to peacockery on my part from time to time.

I love you, peacockery.