The phrase “I don’t grok this at all” comes from the science fiction novel “Stranger in a Strange Land” by Robert A. Heinlein, published in 1961.
Here’s a breakdown of the origin and meaning:
Origin:
“Grok” is a fictional Martian word invented by Heinlein for this novel.
In the book, it’s part of the Martian language spoken by the main character, Valentine Michael Smith, who was raised on Mars.
Meaning:
To “grok” means to understand something so thoroughly that it becomes a part of you.
It implies a deep, intuitive comprehension that goes beyond mere intellectual understanding.
Usage in popular culture:
After the novel’s publication, “grok” entered the English language.
It became particularly popular in counter-culture and computer programming circles.
Today, it’s often used in tech and geek culture to express deep understanding.
I love Heinlein. I need to put that on my reading list.l
It seemed to me that it’s huge popularity at the time was due to it giving a convenient and short label to a very complex human mental process.
After all these years and the dumbing down of society, the current expression is “Hey, like, like, dude, ya know what I mean man?”