assert a lofty position

[Silverobama]

"What's more problematic is that Kundera seems to feel he has reached a point of such eminence that he can simply assert a lofty position without having to back it up, or throw out the intriguing start of an insight and let it go at that."​

Hi, what does "assert a lofty position" mean?


Thanks

 

[Chicchick]

'lofty' means 'high'

In this context the phrase means that 'he assumes he is above other people in rank and status'.

 

[Tullia]

"What's more problematic is that Kundera seems to feel he has reached a point of such eminence that he can simply assert a lofty position without having to back it up, or throw out the intriguing start of an insight and let it go at that."​

Hi, what does "assert a lofty position" mean?


Thanks

'lofty' means 'high'

In this context the phrase means that 'he assumes he is above other people in rank and status'.

Actually I think it means "position" in the sense of "opinion" or "point of view" - he thinks he is sufficiently famous/well-reputed that he can put forward an advanced opinion without having to provide evidence or show his reasoning.

 

[BobK]

:up: Someone who asserts a lofty position is 'on his high horse' (that's another idiom). In fact, come to think of it, that word 'another' suggests 'asserts a lofty position' is, but it's not; in fact, I think it's missing something. What the person is doing is asserting that he occupies a lofty position.

b

 

[Tullia]

:up: Someone who asserts a lofty position is 'on his high horse' (that's another idiom). In fact, come to think of it, that word 'another' suggests 'asserts a lofty position' is, but it's not; in fact, I think it's missing something. What the person is doing is asserting that he occupies a lofty position.

b

Does one occupy a position in the sense of an opinion on something? I don't think anything is missing at all. Assert seems far better to me, understanding position to mean "stance, stand, opinon, point of view".

If you take it any other way, it doesn't make sense in the sentence. If you take it the way I am reading it it forms a perfect counterpart to "throw out the intriguing start of an insight and let it go at that"; they are opposites. He either states his opinion but doesn't bother substantiating how he got to that opinon, or he hints at the start of a thought process but doesn't follow it all the way though - there is a lack of intellectual rigour to his actions, brought about by the fact he feels "he has reached a point of such eminence".

 

[BobK]

'A lofty position' is 'the moral high ground' - which one does occupy (as one does with any physical position). If you're not happy with 'occupy', I might offer another term (which, perhaps sensibly is going out of fashion - leaving no trace but a related adjective): they arrogate to themselves a lofty position. ;-)

b