I’m not so sure about that. The sacredness of an idea doesn’t come from its longevity, it comes from attachment to memes that make it immune to criticism; if there are already a lot of those memes floating around in a subculture, and if the binding criteria are loose or inconsistently applied, new sacred cows can evolve rather quickly.
Do you have any examples in mind? It may be that we just have different connotations and associations for the words “sacred cow”. I think the being a sacred cow implies more than just the social unacceptability of criticizing it, there must be, basically, a well-established tradition.
I’d rather not get into examples; too many of them are politically charged. But no, “sacred cow” doesn’t necessarily connote long-established tradition to me.
They’re probably more likely in association with long-established traditions, since there you don’t have to deal with a recent history of people challenging them. But an insular culture or a strong ideology can get past that hurdle.
Well, the view that homosexual relationships are just as acceptable as heterosexual relationships and that thus opposing gay marriage is evil, is an idea that has already managed to acquire sacred cow status despite not even being fully implemented yet.
There is no such thing as a young upcoming sacred cow. If it’s young and upcoming it’s not sacred.
I’m not so sure about that. The sacredness of an idea doesn’t come from its longevity, it comes from attachment to memes that make it immune to criticism; if there are already a lot of those memes floating around in a subculture, and if the binding criteria are loose or inconsistently applied, new sacred cows can evolve rather quickly.
Do you have any examples in mind? It may be that we just have different connotations and associations for the words “sacred cow”. I think the being a sacred cow implies more than just the social unacceptability of criticizing it, there must be, basically, a well-established tradition.
I’d rather not get into examples; too many of them are politically charged. But no, “sacred cow” doesn’t necessarily connote long-established tradition to me.
They’re probably more likely in association with long-established traditions, since there you don’t have to deal with a recent history of people challenging them. But an insular culture or a strong ideology can get past that hurdle.
Well, the view that homosexual relationships are just as acceptable as heterosexual relationships and that thus opposing gay marriage is evil, is an idea that has already managed to acquire sacred cow status despite not even being fully implemented yet.
Many of us have been implementing the acceptability of homosexual relationships for decades.
Um, civil unions, much less gay “marriage”, have only been around for just over a decade.
That’s true.