Large institutions are notoriously slow to change. Church bureaucracy is typical of that concept and often remains obstinate. In the early years of the Renaissance, as scientific observation of the heavens indicated that the earth revolved around the sun, the Roman Catholic Church clung tenaciously to the Biblical concept of describing the sun revolving around the earth. Obstinate Church leaders also clung to the idea of a flat earth contrary to ships sailing around it.
In families, children often accuse parents of obstinate beliefs that limit their freedom and growth. Also, parents encounter children who are obstinate in considering the life experience of seasoned veterans in dealing with the many issues surrounding growing up.
Obstinate means stubbornly adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course despite reason, arguments or persuasion. The English language began to use the word obstinate in the 1300s in the context of Church teaching and guidance from elderly family members. It is true that nothing is new under the sun, as the Preacher reminds us in Ecclesiastes.
The use of obstinate as a hardness of heart, inflexibility of temper or purpose is derived from the Medieval Latin obstinatia, stemming from obstinatus, meaning resolute, inflexible, or stubborn. Secular and church leaders also accused their subjects of the same thing, that is, being obstinate in their unwillingness to acknowledge their own sins and failures to live as decent citizens and honest penitents.
The original Latin root word is obstinare, from ob (in the way) plus stinare (similar to stare, meaning to stand). When opinion stands in the way of truth, that is obstinance.
Animals can be obstinate, too. A beloved pet cat that refuses to get out of your easy chair when you want to sit down, can be described as obstinate.
Other things can be labelled as obstinate, inferring not easily subdued, remedied, or removed. An illness resulting in numerous days with a high body temperature might be attributed to an obstinate fever. Societies around the world often deal with obstinate unemployment.
Dogged, stubborn, pertinacious, mulish, and obstinate imply a fixed and unyielding course or purpose.
Dogged suggests an admirable, often tenacious and unwavering persistence. Once she realized her cell phone was missing, she searched every room in the house with dogged perseverance.
Stubborn implies sturdiness in resisting change, which may or may not be admirable. He was too stubborn to admit any errors in judgment. She was not the first to conceive of the idea of a burrowing owl in the park; but she was the only one stubborn enough to prove it.
Pertinacious infers an annoying or irksome determination. The pertinacious salesclerk refused to take no for an answer, even when the customer was walking out of the store.
Mulish suggests a thoroughly unreasonable inflexibility. Their firstborn child has a mulish determination to have her own way.
Obstinate implies an unreasonable resolve. The senator is an obstinate proponent of conspiracy theories.
We have a running controversy in our house concerning rinsing dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. I have an obstinate habit of rinsing every plate and bowl prior to setting them on the racks of the dishwasher. I usually get chided for wasting water. Oih!
