Williams says: “There have been isms, and for that matter ists, as far back as we have records. Ism and ist are Greek suffixes. Ism was used in English to form a noun of action (baptism); of a kind of action (heroism); and of actions and beliefs characteristic of some group (Atticism, Judaism) or tendency (Protestantism, Socialism) or school (Platonism). Ist was used to form various agent-nouns (psalmist) and also nouns to indicate an adherent of some system or teacher (altruist, Thomist)…
Isms and ists are still used, wittily or contemptuously (often with a sense of rapturous originality) but usually from orthodox or conservative positions, and even by scientists, economists and those professing patriotism.”
See also the Ism Book, a Field Guide to Philosophy, by Peter Saint-Andre
Yeah, there are lots of good -isms, but the suffix has recently become so associated with prejudices: racism, sexism, classism, and so on.
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