The word “radical” comes from the Latin radix, meaning “root”- the same word from which we get “radish.” The proper radical is one who tries to get to the root of things, not to be distracted by superficials, to see the woods for the trees. It is good to be a radical. Anyone who seeks deeply will be one. In the dictionary the closest synonym to “radical” is “fundamentalist.” Which only makes sense. Someone who gets down to the root of things is someone who gets down to the fundamentals.
M. Scott. Peck, The Different Drum. (via itsplaytimetommorris)
