Slippery Slope - the devaluation of -ism
 

Language is powerful. We all know that. That is why we write with each other.

Tonight I noodle on how an -ism progresses from a joke to a movement. The sea change struck me tonight when I read the word Trumpism in the context of being a movement. WTF? Trumpism is a movement? I thought Trumpism was a synonym for exaggeration or craziness, or, if I wanted to associate a Trumpism with a Bushism I might have told myself that Trump is as concerned with conserving energy in his high rise tower as Bush is with conserving energy at his Texas ranch.

But damn. Being burdened with the mental fatigue of figuring out the difference between Trumpism and Bushism and emotions vs -ism movements and yada-yada-yada made me realize that the suffix -ism might be similar to the rightmost decimal figure of mathematics. If someone accumulates enough of those insignificant figures then they have a movement or, in the mathematical context, a beautiful integer.

Trumpism is a shortcut for idiotic white nationalism sprinkled with lies, bravado and incompetence while being beholden to Vladimir Putin. It simply rolls off the tongue better.

Trumpism as a movement is more correctly described as part and parcel to the gustatory/digestive regimen.
The end result, of course.

And friends they may thinks it's a movement

And that's what it is , the Alice's Restaurant Anti-Massacree Movement, and
All you got to do to join is sing it the next time it come's around on the
Guitar....

You can get anything you want send Kieth Schiller to the restaurant
You can get anything you want, send Schiller to the restaurant
Chocolate malts, Quarters by the sack,
And you're only knowin' we want fries with that!
You can get anything you want, send Schiller to the restaurant!

https://screenshots.firefoxuserconte...be18e62dcb.png

lol. must still be ringing in my brain from Thanksgiving

You all are more versed at art than I am. I had a fresh thought when I revisited this thread but it distilled into being happy with a pen and a notepad by my bedside.

Thank you for the lead guitar notes. Ree too tee too teener neener nee.