What could the Marvel supervillain Thanos and the late nineteenth century artist James McNeill Whistler possibly have in common? The surprising answer is that both Thanos and Whistler can be used to illustrate the SAT vocabulary word DISPASSIONATE.
DISPASSIONATE describes behavior that is unemotional, impartial, and guided by reason. Known as the “Mad Titan,” Thanos believed the universe suffered from overpopulation. His DISPASSIONATE or impartial solution was to use the immense power of the Infinity Stones to destroy half of all life. Thanos believed this random but rational act of genocide would be DISPASSIONATE because it treated rich and poor the same way.
Whistler’s oil paintings often depict the streets of European cities. Unlike the sentimental works of his contemporaries, Whistler advocated a DISPASSIONATE style based on simple objective designs. Although SAT test writers have not used Thanos to illustrate DISPASSIONATE, they have crafted a vocabulary in context question using Whistler to illustrate DISPASSIONATE.
DISPASSIONATE – unemotional, impartial, and guided by reason