• LovableSidekick@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    23
    ·
    1 day ago

    Fun fact: word usage changes over time. For example, “idiot” used to be a technical medical term for extreme mental disability. We live in the Age of Information, and if somebody doesn’t want to learn about historical context that’s actually willful ignorance on their part.

      • doingthestuff@lemy.lol
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        14 hours ago

        We have a desire to say it nicely but the new polite words always become slurs again eventually. You’ll probably be shamed for saying disabled in another generation by a holier than thou thirteen year old.

        • zeppo@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          12 hours ago

          It’s already happened. Some people want you to say “differently abled”.

          • doingthestuff@lemy.lol
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            12 minutes ago

            Yeah like that won’t be abused. The people coming up with the new language are… well, different.