If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?
If I could permanently ban only one word from general usage, ‘gaslighting’ instantly comes to mind. It’s annoying how incorrectly and overused it’s become over the last ten years or so. Many people deliberately misuse the word and accuse anyone who disagrees with them of gaslighting. In fact, the word is correctly applied only if someone is constantly questioning your mental stability, sense of reality, or memory. All of these were accurately applied in the excellent 1944 film Gaslight.
However, in current usage gaslighting is casually bandied about by seemingly everyone (especially annoying reality TV “stars”) who weaponize it against anyone who calls them out on their bad behavior and bloated egos. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to realize that most people who spew it about (whether infamous or not) probably haven’t ever watched Gaslight which truly depicts the creeping, devious process that a fortune hunter uses to try and drive his wife into insanity – to cover up his own criminal activities, get her committed to a mental institution and steal her estate.
In any event, ‘gaslighting’ will unfortunately continue to be misused by the clueless, D-list denizens of trash tv to further along their own insipid melodramas in a pathetic ploy gain more audience pity and “likes” on Facebook or Tik Tok – whatever. Nonetheless, the current abuse of gaslighting should not detract from those who really are being victimized by a husband, wife, domestic partner, family member, work colleague, etc. whose intent is to inflict emotional and mental harm for I’ll-gotten gain.
