Words, phrases, and language are social contracts. Known meanings are mutually shared between people in order to communicate. The problem arises when a word or phrase is “stolen” from its original definition to suddenly mean something else, unbeknownst to its current user, (sometimes to the total opposite meaning), or obliterated completely, which is what the woke crowd is currently trying to do to the words mother, father, woman and man.
Is there a perpetually updated linguistic manual that everyone must refer to before conversing? Of course not, that would be absurd. Does the converted word or phrase now permanently reside in its newly decided position of meaning? No. Is a newly forbidden word nevermore to be spoken? Again, no. People should not be so quick to bow, apologize, or shuffle away, adopting these newly defined etymological versions, out of a warped sense of politeness. Because like most everything else, language and meaning do not evolve normally if imposed by force.
The natural evolution of language is a slow and steady process that evolves through time, whereas “stealing” words and phrases, (i.e., abruptly and arbitrarily changing their definitions, usually by one group acting upon another), is a type of purposeful psycho-political manipulation. It is a very old trick used in “gaslighting”.
Mass gaslighting is not benign, and unfortunately it is prevalent today as a type of aggression, especially at a pedestrian level. Perpetrators are actively participating in the tactic; intentionally creating confusion in the social landscape in order to satisfy their own preconceived ends. Words have become a new-age politicized weapon.