Language: How meanings change.

I notice here repeated use of the word "Progressive" in terms of Politicals and Social Policy as a negative. Human civilisation is based around progress. (Except for the Dark Ages thing) How did Progress get to be bad?😷

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ArishMell · 70-79, M

"Progressive" in that sense is positive or negative only according to your own point of view.

Strip away the language-mangling, party-political or sociological baggage and we are left with...

[i]Progress[/i] - the chronological sequence of events, ideas, etc. by which each leads to the next. Like walking along a footpath.

[i]Progress /ing / ive[/i] - pertaining to following that sequence. Or footpath.

In both cases, it can be for the worse such as the effects of a slowly-disabling illness, or for the better such as finding an effective treatment for it.

Unfortunately, when people start to become animated in political discourse many forget how to understand words. And thereby, some tend to show they might not understand their subject as well they should, either!