It might be a palliative while we’re looking for a real solution. I actually pointed out the root of the problem right there: the godawful connection, overt or implicit, between the raw intellectual power and “General Worth” (incoherent concept, but sadly an emotional given) of a person in society’s eyes. Changing the language is, I think, a necessary but not sufficient part of breaking that habit of thought. When combined with other tactics, linguistic manipulation can be an effective tool, even working for the common good—see “Gay”.
It might be a palliative while we’re looking for a real solution. I actually pointed out the root of the problem right there: the godawful connection, overt or implicit, between the raw intellectual power and “General Worth” (incoherent concept, but sadly an emotional given) of a person in society’s eyes. Changing the language is, I think, a necessary but not sufficient part of breaking that habit of thought. When combined with other tactics, linguistic manipulation can be an effective tool, even working for the common good—see “Gay”.
What do you propose as the new measure of worth? I think you’ll find that these things are pretty hardwired.