The Sheeple Look Up
I wonder whether as well as adding new words in the Oxford Dictionary each year, they should note which ones have vanished?
Language, as we know, evolves. Especially one as eclectic as English with its roots in every country that has invaded us, or we have invaded. Plus its spread as the second language for even more countries than it is the first language for.
In the age of the internet and social media, new words are birthed, spread, and die in the lifetime of a mayfly. One of these is ‘sheeple’.
As far as I can tell its origin was during the pandemic where conspiracy theorists, anti vaxxers and libertarian provocateurs used it to insult those who had the poor judgement to rely on science, logic, and observable facts to steer their lives and opinions.
As Colin Dickey’s Under the Eye of Power tells us, conspiracy theories and the othering of groups is nothing new. Similarly the use of language to brand those who accept conventional wisdom – I’m old enough to remember the counterculture use of “square” for anyone they believed had sold out.
Now, I’m not suggesting that (a) everything those in authority tell us should be swallowed without looking at it very closely or (b) conventional science has the monopoly on wisdom and knowledge. Those in power have a vested interest in people accepting their narrative and will push fake news as much as conspiracy theorists. As Kuhn’s examination of how new discoveries are made shows us, science will continue to push its existing narrative until contrary evidence pushes it over a cliff.
What I am saying is that one should critically examine everything to the best of your time, skill and will. The truth or reasonableness of something does not depend on who says it, and agreeing with accepted wisdom (or not) doesn’t say anything about you as a person.
When I used to be a journalist I sometimes (not enough) challenged the accepted view that any position had to be challenged by the opposite view in a story. This is bollocks. Firstly, there will be a continuum of views and not simply binary opposition and secondly some things are self evidently true. You don’t have to bracket anything about space with the views of a flat Earther who believes the moon missions were faked.
I wonder whether we don’t see as much use of the word “sheeple” because what was once alternative is becoming mainstream. Perhaps we should start calling them “sheeple” as they move into the majority.
