" fatídico"

Question

I know the obvious meanings to do with "fate" "fateful" etc but I'm looking for more subtlety if possible. The particular phrase is: ...dicho de otro modo menos fatídico, está dispuesto a ampararse en la irrealidad

I'm thinking: "...or to put it in another less trenchant/forceful/uncompromising/ominous way, is willing to take shelter in unreality

More context is:El objeto de este ejercicio sería demostrar que el hombre, defendiéndose con uñas y dientes de esa posible intrusión en su intimidad, está dispuesto a recurrir incluso al simulacro, o dicho de otro modo menos fatídico, está dispuesto a ampararse en la irrealidad.

What do you think?

Answer 1

less harsh

I like that very much, thanks - lagartijaverde, Nov 4, 2010

I like this option too. I think it is appropriate. - Gekkosan, Nov 4, 2010

Answer 2

modo menos fatídico => in a less decisive way

fatídico here would imply that the situation described has no chance to suffer any change.

Interesting, does it inherently carry the idea of not changing? - lagartijaverde, Nov 5, 2010

I think so, because it´s bound to fate - mediterrunio, Nov 5, 2010

Even thuhg in Spanish ´fatifico´ is usually just gloomy or sad, it still carries the old Greek sense of fatality (fate, fatality, fatidico, all related to ancient Greece idea of already written destiny) - mediterrunio, Nov 5, 2010

That gives it the extra depth I sensed, thanks - lagartijaverde, Nov 9, 2010