The word “idiot” originates from ancient Greek and originally did not have negative, disrespectful or derogatory connotations.
We need to understand the semantics of word before saying it, which gives credibility to our speech and value to what we say.
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Despite this knowledge, some words may lose their meaning. sense original over time, varying between different perspectives and new languages.
The word that we understand today as an insult, in its original form, was not related to the intelligence of the person to whom it referred.
Instead, it was used to describe an ordinary citizen, as opposed to scholars or individuals who held public office or acted on behalf of the state.
The ancient Greeks placed great value on civic participation and recognized that democracy depended on it to prosper.
All citizens were expected to be alert and well informed about public affairs. In other words, being an “idiot” in ancient Greece meant not getting involved in the public sphere, something that was discouraged in Greek society at the time.
In Ancient Greece, remaining on the sidelines of public life was seen as a sign of ignorance, lack of education, misinformation and even as an abandonment of a citizen's fundamental duty.
Pericles, the eminent statesman of Athens, emphasized that anyone who did not contribute to political debates was not only devoid of ambition, but was considered “absolutely useless.”
As time passed, the word began to acquire an increasingly negative connotation. It became a term of disapproval and disdain, reflecting the change in social perception of people who chose to remain on the sidelines of public affairs.
This linguistic evolution demonstrates how words can evolve and acquire new meanings as society and cultural norms transform over the centuries.
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