Understanding Morons

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Recently, a reader responded to an entry about Afghanistan, writing in part, that, “Calling them “morons” for not being educated on this in a country that is still partly stuck in the stone age seems a tad bit inappropriate.”

The reader’s thoughts were duly noted, and had some bearing upon a portion of the entry – the introduction. That individual could have written a recipe for spongecake in response, and it likely would have been published. But, a thoughtful, intelligent, cogent, somewhat compelling, and expansive argument was made in response to the commentary – which is more than can be said for some other sites, where diatribes, thoughtless, mindless jibber-jabbering, and provocative commentary is sad par for the course.

But it was the word “moron” that aroused my curiosity, so to be certain, I sought to investigate further the origin, derivation and historical use of the word – its etymology. Here’s what I found about the word “moron” on the EtymologyOnline website:

moron (n.)

1910, medical Latin, “one of the highest class of feeble-minded persons,” from Greek (Attic) mōron, neuter of mōros “foolish, dull, sluggish, stupid,” a word of uncertain origin. The former connection with Sanskrit murah “idiotic” (see moratorium) is in doubt. Latin morus “foolish” is a loan-word from Greek.

Adopted by the American Association for the Study of the Feeble-minded with a technical definition “adult with a mental age between 8 and 12;” used as an insult since 1922 and subsequently dropped from technical use. Linnæus had introduced morisis “idiocy.”

The feeble-minded may be divided into: (1) Those who are totally arrested before the age of three so that they show the attainment of a two-year-old child or less; these are the idiots. (2) Those so retarded that they become permanently arrested between the ages of three and seven; these are imbeciles. (3) Those so retarded that they become arrested between the ages of seven and twelve; these were formerly called feeble-minded, the same term that is applied to the whole group. We are now proposing to call them morons, this word being the Greek for “fool.” The English word “fool” as formerly used describes exactly this grade of child—one who is deficient in judgment or sense. [Henry H. Goddard, in “Journal of Proceedings and Addresses” of the National Education Association of the United States, July 1910]

• The Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition, defines “moron” as, an “obsolete term for a person with the highest grade of mental retardation, equivalent to the modern classification “mild mental retardation.”

• Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary states that “This outmoded and imprecise term is best avoided in medical speech and writing because of its pejorative lay connotations.”

• Segen’s Medical Dictionary, writes this of the word, stating that it is “An obsolete term formerly used for an individual with mild mental retardation (IQ 50–69). Vox populi – A derogatory term used indiscriminately for an obtuse person, regardless of that person’s tested IQ.”

Of course, I have often said, “There’s no moron like an oxymoron.”

And you can quote me on that.

But the term, now often considered a pejorative, has fallen out of favor with the “influencers” of society, social media platform morons who teach that eating placental tissue is healthy, that getting vaccinated against any disease is not, and that they’re experts on any given subject, rather than the ones who have studied such matters for 30, 40, or even 50 years, or more.

They make those claims, asserting that “secret formulae,” corrupt cabals, and disingenuous government officials have kept something good from you — and the reason they say such things, is because they have an unspoken agenda… your wallet, and its contents. They want it.

They have something they want to sell you — including something they want you to buy. Their never-ending stream of preposterous hogwash is utter tripe, and is more colloquially known as “bullshit.” And if they can convince you, inspire confidence in you that they’re expert, their job is fait accompli – mission accomplished. Yet the only expertise they have is the art of deception. That’s where and why “con men” got their name – they ran their ruse by first establishing confidence in their intended victims, who, after listening to their spiel, trusted and believed the liars and thieves.

Their next step is much simpler – having you open your wallet.

Then, having fallen victim under their hypnotic sway, believing their lies, you go to your computer, surf to their secure website, open your wallet, pull out that credit card, and order the worthless garbage they’re selling… with FREE shipping – and, if you act now, we’ll throw in an extra goo-goo-ga-joob at NO COST! That’s TWO for the price of ONE!

But wait! There’s more!

Like “Snake Oil” salesmen of yore, peddlers who sell anything that will cure everything, hucksters hawking their fraudulent wares to the unsuspecting and gullible from city-to-city — nowadays using infomercials, or via their very own online “hit” show (even though the only “hit” is to your wallet) — they walk a very thin legal line, because the “bad ol’ FDA, and the bullies that run it” do not have your best interests at heart.

Or, so they say.

The loyal followers of their “cult of personality” are hypnotized in zombie-like fashion, fallen prey under their heroines’ or heroes’ soothsaying prognostications and oblique deceptive claims of better sleep, improved vitality, better sex life, weight loss, improved skin tone, silkier hair, stronger immune system, improved powers of concentration, and better overall health. Victimized by their acting skills which have now become legal deceptions motivated by greed that knows practically no end, the unsuspecting are relieved of their hard-earned money.

“A fool and their money are soon parted,” goes the proverb.

Our government is meant to protect us all from such unscrupulous, unprincipled rogues.

Such conniving carnival barkerism has been a substantial part of American politics for the past 4 years. It’s settling, calming, and reassuring to have a break from such inane destructive daily diatribes and wickedly manipulative morons.