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January 4, 2011

The Words Game: -isms

Ageism and racism are two sides of the same coin. Is there an -ism for being intolerant of intolerance?
Nick Armstrong
Business coach · Fort Collins, CO

I did a bit of keyword research. See if you can guess if these negative keywords were associated with Generation Y or an ethnic minority:

– Lazy
– Entitled
– Poor Work Ethic
– Don’t Pull Their Weight
– Stubborn

Turns out, ageism and racism are two sides of the same coin. These descriptors were used almost equally toward both Generation Y and ethnic minorities on sites with negative biases (and some with positive bias!)

We could all do with a few less -isms in our lives. Intolerance seems kinda ugly, don’t ya think? Is there an -ism for being intolerant of intolerance?

(Header photo: Lexington Avenue Line (5) as a melting pot by EEscamillaR)

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