Huh. This article has given me food for thought. I think that two points haven't been brought up, and those specifically are the mutability of language and the need for closure.
Language changes all the time, the meanings of words have constantly shifted, evolved, and inversed. It's probably too soon in our shared history for people to use the term nazi without specific associations and allusions to Hitler's Germany or the spawned hateful thought processes. That being said, language does evolve and potentially should. It's a reflection on our understanding, of our ability to generate concepts to others, and to define both ourselves and the world around us.
Take for instance, America's term of 'Black' for someone with darkly pigmented skin. It's a heavily political ladden word with it's own history and difficulties. In the past the politically accepted words have run the gambit, and up until the mid to later part of 20th century, 'negro' was the word of choice and 'black' was considered a term used by the ignorant and the intolerant. People took the word 'black' back, as homosexual men and woman have taken back the term 'gay' (which early definition means happy or filled with joy, likewise the term 'faggot' has the literal definition of a bundle of sticks). Words change and for a reason, too.
It helps us deal with the world around us. Taking a term and infusing new meaning. Sometimes it turns it into an insult but other times putting a new meaning on a word strips the power of that word away, often taking the ability to harm away as well. This is a for the better or worse type of consequnce. The thing is though, it happens.
I do like where your coming from and I'll probably take your words to heart in the future, so thanks for writing this. <3
no subject
Language changes all the time, the meanings of words have constantly shifted, evolved, and inversed. It's probably too soon in our shared history for people to use the term nazi without specific associations and allusions to Hitler's Germany or the spawned hateful thought processes. That being said, language does evolve and potentially should. It's a reflection on our understanding, of our ability to generate concepts to others, and to define both ourselves and the world around us.
Take for instance, America's term of 'Black' for someone with darkly pigmented skin. It's a heavily political ladden word with it's own history and difficulties. In the past the politically accepted words have run the gambit, and up until the mid to later part of 20th century, 'negro' was the word of choice and 'black' was considered a term used by the ignorant and the intolerant. People took the word 'black' back, as homosexual men and woman have taken back the term 'gay' (which early definition means happy or filled with joy, likewise the term 'faggot' has the literal definition of a bundle of sticks). Words change and for a reason, too.
It helps us deal with the world around us. Taking a term and infusing new meaning. Sometimes it turns it into an insult but other times putting a new meaning on a word strips the power of that word away, often taking the ability to harm away as well. This is a for the better or worse type of consequnce. The thing is though, it happens.
I do like where your coming from and I'll probably take your words to heart in the future, so thanks for writing this. <3