The Law of Reactive Naming
Most -isms are named by opponents after the fact (e.g., “Impressionism” was an insult first).
Application: To understand an ism, ask: Who coined this term, and why?
The Law of Oppositional Pairing
-isms thrive in binaries: Capitalism vs. Socialism, Modernism vs. Postmodernism, Realism vs. Idealism.
Application: Identify the ism’s “enemy ism” – that defines its boundaries. ism bazzism
The Law of Buzz Decay
Every -ism has a shelf life: emergence → adoption → overuse → backlash → obsolescence (or museumification).
Application: Check if an ism is still generative or just a zombie category. A Deep Guide to Ism Bazzism
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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Bazzism: A company releases a Black Lives Matter statement on Instagram, but its board remains 90% white and male. It creates a “Chief Diversity Officer” role with no budget or authority. The jargon (“lived experience,” “decolonize the workplace”) is deployed, but pay gaps persist. The Law of Reactive Naming Most -isms are