It seems to be quite a buzzword these days on all sides. If you do a Google News search for the word entitlement, there are literally thousands of articles using the word over the past 4 years. Then if you search YouTube for the word entitlement, well... it's about on par with what you expect from YouTube. Well, you find rare near-incomprehensible drivel like this.
First, do any of these people know what the actual definition of "entitlement?" Or even "entitle?"
While I recognize that words often change meanings and languages grow, this is a word that particularly hasn't changed meaning in nearly 800 years. That's mostly because it is often used a legal term. The word "entitle" and the condition of, "entitlement" mean having right or authorization to do so usually under a law or legal ruling or, in other cases, by a rule.
So, I'm not sure how you can claim that a young person— or even an elderly person— feels entitled to have a job, a non-poverty income or other material things. By the definition alone combined with the fact that many states have laws regarding punishment for outstanding debts and laws against sleeping outdoors— then people in those states are legally entitled to have a job if you borrow money and a place to sleep.
But I feel as if the word is turning into a pejorative. It seems as if people are taking the negative historical aspects of the word entitlement— such as slave reparations, payments to Native-American tribes and programs to created to fix wrongs— and broadly apply it to conditions or aspects of society they currently do not like. The reason those former social programs are referred to as entitlements was because the government passed legislation or actual laws to create those entitlement programs.
Sorry if this is a bit on the rant side. But I am completely blown away by the rampant misuse and understanding of this word. Can't we just go back to the 'old days' where someone appropriates a nickname from awful literature to a group of people?
Because I question the intelligence of anyone who uses this word for anything other than legal aspects.
Steven Ward
May 9, 11 6:53 am
irked by the word? no. its misuse? yes.
it's been adopted as a fancy way for saying "spoiled": a euphemism, of sorts, that's less likely to cause a fight. or at least to pretend the fight is between grown-ups.
lancerevell
Nov 4, 20 12:08 am
Basic political correctness run amok. Recent generations have buggered up a lot of word definitions.
citizen
Nov 4, 20 2:52 am
I agree. It bugs me when people say things like, "My poem is entitled 'Fifty Ways to Leave Your Leaves.'" A poem is titled.
citizen
Nov 4, 20 2:54 am
Irked. Now there's a good word you don't see much of anymore.
SneakyPete
Nov 4, 20 12:49 pm
Irregardless the word changed. It's a fair point. You should tweet about it but you might end up beset by trolls. It's silly that words are in flux, but people fudge the meanings all the time. It's awful and egregious and literally terrible.
proto
Nov 11, 20 12:23 pm
irregardless
i see what you did there
bowling_ball
Nov 4, 20 1:58 pm
Did somebody really revive a 9 year old post?
newbie.Phronesis
Nov 4, 20 3:53 pm
Happening fairly often lately, for whatever reason
citizen
Nov 4, 20 9:07 pm
Bots! Then a well-meaning regular takes the bait and helps lift the coffin out of the grave.
citizen
Nov 4, 20 9:10 pm
E.g., "Say, what do you fellows think about that Truman-Dewey kerfuffle last night?"
"Outrageous! I wasn't able to watch Milton Berle."
lancerevell
Nov 11, 20 7:13 am
Didn't realise it was that old. But it is still a valid question.
SneakyPete
Nov 11, 20 11:48 am
Ah, the old thumb up your own kiester trick. When you absolutely, positively need to feel supported, use your own thumb. Nobody will notice, and it feels so good.
It seems to be quite a buzzword these days on all sides. If you do a Google News search for the word entitlement, there are literally thousands of articles using the word over the past 4 years. Then if you search YouTube for the word entitlement, well... it's about on par with what you expect from YouTube. Well, you find rare near-incomprehensible drivel like this.
First, do any of these people know what the actual definition of "entitlement?" Or even "entitle?"
While I recognize that words often change meanings and languages grow, this is a word that particularly hasn't changed meaning in nearly 800 years. That's mostly because it is often used a legal term. The word "entitle" and the condition of, "entitlement" mean having right or authorization to do so usually under a law or legal ruling or, in other cases, by a rule.
So, I'm not sure how you can claim that a young person— or even an elderly person— feels entitled to have a job, a non-poverty income or other material things. By the definition alone combined with the fact that many states have laws regarding punishment for outstanding debts and laws against sleeping outdoors— then people in those states are legally entitled to have a job if you borrow money and a place to sleep.
But I feel as if the word is turning into a pejorative. It seems as if people are taking the negative historical aspects of the word entitlement— such as slave reparations, payments to Native-American tribes and programs to created to fix wrongs— and broadly apply it to conditions or aspects of society they currently do not like. The reason those former social programs are referred to as entitlements was because the government passed legislation or actual laws to create those entitlement programs.
Sorry if this is a bit on the rant side. But I am completely blown away by the rampant misuse and understanding of this word. Can't we just go back to the 'old days' where someone appropriates a nickname from awful literature to a group of people?
Because I question the intelligence of anyone who uses this word for anything other than legal aspects.
irked by the word? no. its misuse? yes.
it's been adopted as a fancy way for saying "spoiled": a euphemism, of sorts, that's less likely to cause a fight. or at least to pretend the fight is between grown-ups.
Basic political correctness run amok. Recent generations have buggered up a lot of word definitions.
I agree. It bugs me when people say things like, "My poem is entitled 'Fifty Ways to Leave Your Leaves.'" A poem is titled.
Irked. Now there's a good word you don't see much of anymore.
Irregardless the word changed. It's a fair point. You should tweet about it but you might end up beset by trolls. It's silly that words are in flux, but people fudge the meanings all the time. It's awful and egregious and literally terrible.
irregardless
i see what you did there
Did somebody really revive a 9 year old post?
Happening fairly often lately, for whatever reason
Bots! Then a well-meaning regular takes the bait and helps lift the coffin out of the grave.
E.g., "Say, what do you fellows think about that Truman-Dewey kerfuffle last night?"
"Outrageous! I wasn't able to watch Milton Berle."
Didn't realise it was that old. But it is still a valid question.
Ah, the old thumb up your own kiester trick. When you absolutely, positively need to feel supported, use your own thumb. Nobody will notice, and it feels so good.
SP, no need to be snarky. Very bad form.
You must be new here.