I’m absolutely delighted at the more and more prevalent use of the term “so-called” to condition certain previously unquestioned memes: the War on Terror is more and more being called the So-called War on Terror. The Surge is now become the So-called Surge.
Although it may suggest a generalized absence of attributable authority, akin perhaps to the “some-people-say” non-attribution, by definition “so-called” is more robust, it means doubtful or suspect. I hope it has been forever retired from casting doubt on global warming.
I can’t wait to hear it used to cut other false-isms to size: Bush’s so-called competence, Cheney’s so-called patriotism, Reagan’s so-called legacy, Fox’s so-called news, our so-called two-party system, and our so-called intelligence, to name a [so-called] few.
