"understood for what they are", "antipathy" and "a flight forward"

Question

"The illusions that permitted the installation of professions as arbiters of needs are now increasingly visible to common sense. Procedures in the service sector are often understood for what they are– Linus Blankets, or rituals that hide from the provider-consumer-caboodle the disparity and antipathy between the ideal for the sake of which the service is rendered, and the reality that the service creates. Schools that promise equal enlightenment generate unequally degrading meritocracy and life-long dependence on further tutorship; vehicles compel everyone to a flight forward." (Ivan Illich, The Right to Useful Unemployment)

I couldn't figure out what the emphasized word and phrases say exactly, can you help me?

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

alibey1917antipathy

A strong disagreement or conflict which is very emotional and bitter.

The ideal (desired result) is completely against, hostile to, or opposite of the reality (what is actually achieved,)

alibey1917vehicles compel everyone to a flight forward."

You have to read this in context - it implies that the gap between the real and ideal continues to escalate.

Anonymous · Answer

alibey1917 understood for what they are

I guess he meant that they are recognized for what they are. In other words, they appear to be one thing but are really something else, and we can see what they really are. By the way, by "Linus Blanket" he means "security blanket", a blanket a toddler takes everywhere he goes because it makes him feel safe. Linus is a character in the famous comic strip "Peanuts" who had one. I have never seen it called a "Linus Blanket", and I certainly would not have capitalized "blanket".

alibey1917antipathy

I don't think an ideal can feel antipathy. I think all he meant was "disparity" but couldn't stop himself from tossing in that fun word "antipathy".

alibey1917a flight forward

This seems to be a reference to something, but I don't know what. The meaning seems clear. There is a concept in psychology known as the fight-or-flight response. When we are suddenly threatened, we make a snap decision whether to defend ourselves (fight) or run away (fly). Normally, you would run to your rear, but "flight forward" means that you make a conscious decision to advance instead, hoping to escape your troubling situation by moving on with your life.

"understood for what they are", "antipathy" and "a flight forward"

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