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<blockquote data-quote="fusangite" data-source="post: 1213839" data-attributes="member: 7240">Ycore Rixle says,Thanks so much for introducing Orwell here. I would actually go a step further and argue that what is really happening is that &quot;intelligent&quot; is being converted into the term &quot;proficient.&quot; I would argue that this is as likely to result in increased discrimination against people who are not intelligent as it is to reduce such discrimination. It reminds me of the colourful history of the terms for people who are not smart. We started with idiot. But then, in the 19th century, people felt that this was a pejorative term. So the medical community came up with a new non-judgemental, non-pejorative term for such people. The term was &quot;moron.&quot; Pretty soon, &quot;moron&quot; became an insult. So, then, we came up with a new non-judgemental term: &quot;retarded.&quot; After a while, this too became an insult. So, we have a new term, &quot;challenged.&quot; Anyone else starting to use the term &quot;challenged&quot; as an insult? My friends certainly are.I'm quite confident that whatever new terminology we wrap around it, our society will continue to attach negative connotations to whatever term we invent for people who are not clever. Despite all evidence to the contrary in my own life, tbe broad sweep of evidence seems to show that society values cleverness.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="fusangite, post: 1213839, member: 7240"] Ycore Rixle says, Thanks so much for introducing Orwell here. I would actually go a step further and argue that what is really happening is that "intelligent" is being converted into the term "proficient." I would argue that this is as likely to result in increased discrimination against people who are not intelligent as it is to reduce such discrimination. It reminds me of the colourful history of the terms for people who are not smart. We started with idiot. But then, in the 19th century, people felt that this was a pejorative term. So the medical community came up with a new non-judgemental, non-pejorative term for such people. The term was "moron." Pretty soon, "moron" became an insult. So, then, we came up with a new non-judgemental term: "retarded." After a while, this too became an insult. So, we have a new term, "challenged." Anyone else starting to use the term "challenged" as an insult? My friends certainly are. I'm quite confident that whatever new terminology we wrap around it, our society will continue to attach negative connotations to whatever term we invent for people who are not clever. Despite all evidence to the contrary in my own life, tbe broad sweep of evidence seems to show that society values cleverness. [/QUOTE]

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