The Meaning of -ism

The suffix -ism is used to name a concept or school of thought, often with either a scientific sense behind it, or a dogmatic one.  We often attach lofty ideology to words with this suffix, due to their prevalence in religion and philosophy, although there are more trivial uses as well.  When a word or phrase can be identified as representing a particular person's thoughts or manner of speaking, that person's name can become an -ism.  This is the case with malapropisms, spoonerisms, and more recently, Bushisms.  These uses of language are obviously not used to promote the misunderstandings, arrogance, or possible disability of the speaker, but simply identifying the mannerism, often in a humorous way.  In medicine too we find the suffix at work, in terms such as autism, coined to refer to "morbid self-admiration".  While the Source had the feeling that -ism words have developed a distinctly negative tone over the last century, it seems to me that the people attached to those -isms, the -ists, are the ones who are labeled as being negative.  When calling somebody a solipsist, a socialist, or a misanthropist, we are pointing out an assumed, or demonstrated allegiance to the philosophies or ideologies of the corresponding -isms.  While we do have some examples of positive -ists, philanthropist for one, when looking for an insult that dumps the target into a group of unthinking clods, -ist is the go-to suffix.  One might wonder if this is because of the religious connection, as most religions well know to us are -isms, with Christianity and Islam being notable exceptions.  There, too, we see the abstract concept as, at least more or less, neutral, while the Christianist or Islamist is a rabid ideologue, incapable of rational analysis and only acting on some emotional drive to commit violence and subdue others.  The blind allegiance is also referenced by those who speak of evolutionists, saying that the evidence for this particular process is either unconvincing or fraudulent, so those who believe it must be religiously faithful to it.  In general, the -ism has a noble ring about it, calling to other words in high registers of language.  I would argue that its meaning is merely that, giving a formal term for a set of ideas, without passing value judgements on it.  -Ist, on the other hand...

The Source gave the definition as generally being a suffix to indicate a school of thought.  It can be found to label social movements and political philosophies, historical concepts somewhat solidified.  However, in his opinion, the concepts of the last century have been increasingly negative, with perhaps too much assertiveness.  The use of the -ism suffix has fallen into a habit of denoting a powerful idea, which necessarily preys on weaker ideas, just as powerful people use the idea to prey on the weak.

The Leader saw another opportunity to attack the manipulation of information through the language used.  It is a topic he finds hidden in quite a few subjects.  He noted that there was some sort of boom in -isms in the mid 20th century, most likely because more people had access to higher learning and information than ever before, and more discoveries were being made and lines of thought being plumbed, necessitating new terminology.  Any modern negativity attached to an -ism comes from a select few examples and in no way reflects the group as a whole.  He lamented the need for labeling extreme ideologies, or at least their importance in the general lives of people, saying it is a sign that the middle ground has been defiled and worn away.  Finally, he repeated the opinion that the suffix does not in itself transmit negativity, it is only the association with oft repeated terms that taints it, and this repetition can be part of the manipulation of the public carried out by the authority.  The very abstractness of the -ism makes it easy to theorize over without considering human costs.  The term can easily be found in a library or google searches, but the real lives taking part in it are harder to see, or even actively hidden.

It was not the best meeting, there being very little participation and few contributors to the discussion.  The group is definitely at a low point.