WHY LABELS HAVE LOST THEIR FORCE

It wasn’t too very long ago when someone called another a racist, or bigot, or misogynist, or Nazi, or homophobe, it carried weight. And meant what the accuser intended it to mean. They were serious and people actually listened to them when they were used. But now, most people don’t take them as seriously anymore.

Why?

At first, each word had a clear meaning. A racist thought one race was better than another. A homophobe hated or feared people who were homosexual. (I’m not sure there ever has been a fear of a person who has sex with the same sex any more than one has fear that anal intercourse is bad for civilization.) Or, a fascist wanted a very harsh and controlling government, like Hitler.

Over time, people started using these words for anyone they did not agree with. (Probably because they couldn’t muster a rational argument that matched the other.) Someone who simply had a different opinion about a rule or idea might get called a bigot. A leader who made strict choices might get called a fascist. When a word is used for everything, it starts to lose its real meaning.

Part of the problem is that it is easier to call someone a name than to explain why you think they are wrong. Instead of saying, “I think your idea could hurt people because of this reason,” some people just say, “You’re a racist.” This usually stops the conversation. The person being called a name stops listening, and everyone else might think the name was used unfairly. Then the word starts to feel empty. And now, all of them are empty.

Another reason these words have lost power is that they are said so often that people are no longer shocked by them. In the past, being called racist or fascist was a big deal and could hurt someone’s reputation if it was true. Now people see these words used even when the person did not mean harm. So, when they hear the words again, they are not sure if it is real or just someone being mean and ignorant.
It’s kind of like money. If too much money is printed, it becomes worth less. If you call everyone a fascist or compare everyone to Hitler, the words do not mean as much anymore, because people can see with their own eyes that they person accused of Hitler is nothing like Hitler. But the bad things those words describe can still be real, and we need strong words to warn people when real hate or unfairness shows up.

This is why we should be careful. We should only use strong words when they are true. We should try to explain why an idea is harmful instead of just calling someone a bad name. We should remember what these words really mean so they stay powerful when we need them. And when someone uses these words with good reason and proof, we should listen.
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Words are important. They can help us talk about right and wrong. But if we use the strongest words too much or in the wrong way, they stop working. If we use them wisely and honestly, they can still help us stand up to real hate and unfairness when it appears — but only if you use ideas and honest and convincing opinions to win the other side over.

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