“You STUPID IDIOT!” screamed my client at her soon-to-be Ex. “You STUPID, FRICKIN’ MORON” she continued as the attorneys sat back and watched the drama unfold. Although nothing came to blows and the case eventually settled, a thought occurred to me, and I figure I’d better share it before it dies of loneliness.
Why do we feel the need to put the word, “stupid” in front of “idiot” or “moron?” I mean, isn’t it enough that we call the person an idiot or a moron. We then have to take the next step and say of all the idiots and morons, you are among the most stupid of the stupid. Then I wondered if you really could have a “stupid idiot”...........................you can.
Here’s what Dictionary.com has to say about the word IDIOT:
A person of profound mental retardation having a mental age below three years and generally being unable to learn connected speech or guard against common dangers. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive.
Hmmm......offensive. I need to know more about a classification system that is considered offensive. As an attorney, I’m always on the lookout for newer, more sophisticated ways of being offensive.
The classification system includes MORONS and IMBECILES. An IMBECILE is:
A person of moderate to severe mental retardation having a mental age of from three to seven years and generally being capable of some degree of communication and performance of simple tasks under supervision. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive.
A MORON is:
A person of mild mental retardation having a mental age of from 7 to 12 years and generally having communication and social skills enabling some degree of academic or vocational education. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive.
Well, there you have it. An classification system that is NOW considered offensive. Don’t you miss the good old days when this classification system was not offensive. I wonder what has changed? I mean, we still use the words and all.
Oh well....back to the original point. You can have a stupid idiot. That would be an idiot who is not near the mental age of 3 but is instead at a mental age of 1 or something like that. So, a stupid idiot is the worst thing you can be in the offensive classification system.
Of course, I will no longer get the same satisfaction out of calling someone a stupid moron because a moron is the highest functioning of the “offensive” classifications.
I probably should start using the term “imbecile” more often, because technically, many of the people I meet fall into that range. I am simply aghast that I have been so blithely misusing this offensive classification system for so long and, as a wordsmith, I am simply ashamed and vow to correctly convey accurate meanings from this point forward as I describe the various and sundry people I meet in day-to-day life.
I wonder how many Village Idiots were really Village Imbeciles................
Blawgerman
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