Words are shorthand for how people think - for better or worse. In every age they set the parameters for how most people think - and it can be hard for constructive new concepts to emerge. There is also a constant trend to debase the currency we think with. Good words start to accumulate meanings that are greyer, more destructive, oxymoron or double entendre.
For more optimistic, kindly and human-scale view of the world is to be possible, new concepts are needed to express and communicate it. Many ideas needed today still hover in the wings because they lack the names to call them on to the stage.
Shakespeare invented thousands of words for Renaissance thoughts and perceptions. Tertullian invented 967 Latin words that gave a legalistic Roman turn to Christian thinking for a thousand years.
The new Oxford Dictionary of New Words is also a dictionary of new worlds. Many of these words read like a decline in our civilisation. The destructive myths that are given life by current concepts need to be fought with better concepts. For example: -
Adult - A person who is physically, emotionally and socially mature, able to take responsibility for themself and to care for others. The ego of mature adults extends beyond the skin to concern for others and for the world they live in. An Adult Bookshop contains the treasures of our civilisation. An Immature Adult Bookshop does not.
Ageism - Ageist segregation is as damaging as racism and sexism, especially for youth.
Alternative Housekeeping - Our wasteful lifestyle must change to be sustainable.
Common Wealth. Keep its real meaning, which is the common good of all the people.
Conspicuous Thrift to replace Conspicuous Consumption
Critical Mess is analogous to the physics concept of 'Critical Mass'. e.g. A society can tolerate a considerable amount of criminal and destructive behaviour in it. However, if average behaviour and attitudes slip too many notches, there is a qualitative as well as quantitative change in the social structure. It moves into 'Critical Mess', and societies disintegrate, as has happened.
Energy. This distinguishing characteristic of health may be turned to aggression or construction. (Men are naturally energetic, not naturally 'aggressive'. )
Liberty! Fraternity! Responsibility! The next generation needs to have the torch and knowledge passed on, of Faith, Hope, Love; Beauty, Goodness, Truth, and all the Virtues.
Future Cost to be factored in with Capital and Labor as the third component of product cost . What the future must pay for what we spend today. A sum to be taken into account in all our planning and costing of life-styles and capital outlays.
Gender -inclusive new words are needed, rather than spoiling our speaking and writing with his/her, she/he clumsiness. What about a birl for a boy/girl, a heman to complement a woman, so that man remains generic, sher-shim-shis for he/she her/him her/his? The English language is supposed to be alive - liven it then!
Golden Mean. This ancient Greek/Chinese/Judaic concept is still essential.
Heritage. Youth stands on the shoulders of giants. Wisdom is to keep the achievements while discerning and abandoning the foolishness.
Human Energy Crisis is more serious than the other energy crises
Human nature to be seen as having potential for both good and evil. Whether or not behaviour is ultimately determined, we must act as if we have freewill in order be free..
Human Rationalism rather than Economic Rationalism
Imagination is the ability to consider what may be possible, in the real world not just fantasy'.
Intelligence is the ability to work out what to do in a situation .
Making Love - understood as a lasting mutual pleasure qualitatively different from having sex, screwing or bonking, which can require exacerbated behaviours to maintain stimulation.
Malnocence - Knowing a good deal about evil, but too little about good. (innocent = guileless)
Muttering classes - the eternal whingers not prepared to do anything about their whinges.
Public Enterprise - has all the advantages of private enterprise but none of the disadvantages. Control and ownership is vested in the people; the shareholders are the people; the common wealth is as important a legal priority as profit; the wastefulness of unbridled competition is avoided by a preference for co-operation.
Psychological Poverty is a poverty of mind that is unable to think beyond oneself and beyond the minute, and is unable to enjoy the good and positive things of the world, to withstand frustrations, to solve problems, to think independently and to nurture others. Restrictions and biases in psychological beliefs, attitudes and personality prevent people making the most of their assets and turning their handicaps into assets. The rich in money can be psychologically poor, and financial poverty may not mean psychological poverty - but the two tend to reinforce each other.
Quality of Life (QOL) is an indexed measure of a country's real prosperity, to make people think more critically about GNP as being the only or a sufficient measure of a nation's wealth.
Social Arithmetic tests social generalisations. Ask, how many? When? Where? How often?
Urkclass. A social, not an economic concept. Members of the Urkclass have a socially and personally destructive life-style, whether they are rich or poor. They live only in the present, ignorant of the past, careless of the future; prefer waste to personal effort; and believe in impulsivity and that any inhibition on their part will be psychologically harmful to them. Their pejorative vocabulary includes Puritan work ethic, do-gooding, too good to be true, harsh reality, horrible truth, sickmakingly nice, and they tend to write and think in oxymorons.
Wisdom culture to aim for
Work - improved definitions: