|
Public Service Announcement: `idiotarian` or `villepinism`?
Hat Tip: the dissident frogman
We have previously noted that, while the term âidiotarianismâ (coined by Charles Johnson) has several obvious disadvantages, we occasionally have to use it because there is no alternative with the same meaning in common use. Now, a reader of Woty Freemanâs blog, Kolya Wolf, has suggested a new term to replace âidiotarianismâ, namely villepinism (and âvillepinistâ to replace âidiotarianâ), after the current French foreign minister, Dominique de Villepin.
A few notes on this proposal:- We think the word should begin with a lower-case âvâ because de Villepin was not the originator of villepinism, only a prominent exponent. We capitalize âStalinismâ and âThatcherismâ, but not âquislingâ or âboycottâ.
- It is âvillepinismâ and not âvillepinismeâ because it is an English word. The French translation might well be âvillepinismeâ.
- Recall our definition: âsystematically siding with evil without actually adopting the evildoersâ objectivesâ and then look at this description of current French foreign policy.
What do our readers think?
UPDATE: Do you think we need a new word for âidiotarianâ? Vote in our poll.
At the latest check before posting, idiotarian and villepinism are running neck and neck. Personally, I think we need both. Seems to me that idiotarian sounds meaner - a more direct challenge and might be best employed when one is delivering one of the more severe retorts, such as Touchstoneâs "Countercheque Quarrelsome" - the fifth degree... On the other hand, in venues where such language might not be acceptable or might actually or accidentally serve as a valid response, such as the UN, the use of villepinism would be perfectly acceptable, especially when you consider its place of birth.
| To me it sounds like a separate word. "Idiotarianism" indeed implies "systematically siding with evil without actually adopting the evildoersâ objectives." Villepinism by its name implies an identifiable subspecies. Howard Zinn, Noam Chomsky, and Arundhati Roy â to name but the first three that pop to mind â fit the idiotarian definition perfectly. To be villepinists, they'd also have to profess that their active efforts to undermine any sort of rational response to the international terror machine are mere differences of opinion or approach, and that, truly, they are working for similar ultimate goals to ours. The one gnaws the left ankle, the other gnaws the right ankle while professing ultimate friendship. |
Posted by: PD 2003-07-29 |
