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Comment by GreaterFool | Hacker News Reader

> I define "fascist"

I'm sorry, but you don't get to do that! `fascism` already has an established meaning. Please make up a new word for what you believe `fascism` means.

Going by the dictionary definition:

> 1. a political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition

> 2. a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control

This is the exact opposite of Carl's beliefs and agenda.

EDIT: how can we have any discussion about anything if everyone gets to define words to mean whatever they want to mean?

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> I'm sorry, but you don't get to do that! `fascism` already has an established meaning. Please make up a new word for what you believe `fascism` means

I see your point, but honestly, that's not how language work. Changes in meaning over time are not so uncommon, and "fascist" has been used in a loose sense for years (at least in Italian), but looking at Wikipedia this holds for English too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definitions_of_fascism

Your dictionary editor gets to do that. That narrow definition you quote did not come out of thin air. Or maybe it did.

I’ve never heard of ‘fascisti’ - that’s just Italian for “fascists”, not an Organization.

There is a lot more nuance to what the word came to mean that is impossible to capture in one or two paragraphs. The Wikipedia page is already a great improvement over that, recommend that as a source instead, collectively reviewed by hundreds of editors.

Well, a lot of people seem to have accepted that it's racist to oppose discriminating based on race in college admissions... This would not be the first time in recent memory that a word came to be used for exactly the opposite meaning.

I'd love to hear from someone who thinks that that isn't a definition in use today, or that affirmative action wouldn't have been considered prima facie racist a century ago, no matter the races.

> how can we have any discussion about anything if everyone gets to define words to mean whatever they want to mean?

Redefining terms has been common on reddit for years now but it is gaining ground here quite steadily. It's pretty disheartening that the mods seem fine with this, perhaps they see it as an ends justifies the means type of thing.

Perhaps it's time to put it in the Terms of Service that blatant disregard for dictionary definitions shall lead to suspension or an outright ban!

No one will willingly give up their memes, they seem to have the allure of the ring of power.

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