Newspeak In Action

     Languages evolve. What we are seeing now is the linguistic equivalent of (un)intelligent design…

One last point about Latinx & other "gender inclusive" language (incl. pronouns) that I think gets overlooked…most of it is coming from academia/activist communities and effectively focus tested in the most sympathetic circles, it gives a false impression of efficacy.

— Nathaniel Horadam, Rivian-in-Georgia Enthusiast (@NW_Horadam) December 6, 2021

Language constantly evolves, but in past eras we didn't have massive social science departments, a DEI consulting industry, and a network of non-profit orgs. available to push a concerted agenda. So this is far more deliberate, and less organic, than many other previous shifts.

— Nathaniel Horadam, Rivian-in-Georgia Enthusiast (@NW_Horadam) December 6, 2021

When top-down language transformations occurred in the past, you typically had an authoritarian regime, monarchical, nationalist, or otherwise to impose it.

This push is coming through a free and open society, where people have long not liked being told what they should say.

— Nathaniel Horadam, Rivian-in-Georgia Enthusiast (@NW_Horadam) December 6, 2021

So what starts as a .1% thing bubbling up through academia into the non-profit/activist space and captures 2-3%, and then thru DEI industry & other politically-engaged folks gets to 15-20%…rapidly gives activists the impression this is good, necessary, *and* effective language.

— Nathaniel Horadam, Rivian-in-Georgia Enthusiast (@NW_Horadam) December 6, 2021

When you hit serious resistance at 30%-40%, you're so convinced "this is the right & necessary thing to do" that everyone who doesn't adopt it is either "merely unenlightened" or a flat-out bigot.

It's a toxic mentality both for social cohesion & progressive political fortunes.

— Nathaniel Horadam, Rivian-in-Georgia Enthusiast (@NW_Horadam) December 6, 2021

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