I can tell how old I am because I can remember a day long ago when journalists would describe a book as "provocative" and "controversial" to whet readers' interest in the book. Today, the words "provocative" and "controversial" have become code for Move Along, Nothing to See Here.
--Steve Sailer, commenting on cultural changes and words
Interesting. But those words are still used to promote. Impossible for me to say whether they are used that way less now than before... I guess I will take Sailer's word for it?
Here's the new thread for posting quotes, with the usual rules: