[joshhiggins]

It is a never ending search for a term that changes reality. It will never succeed. As soon as a new term such as "Challenged" or "Special", or "Gay" becomes widely used it becomes associated with the condition it describes, and becomes an insult.

The terms imbecile, idiot, mental retardation, insanity and so on are good examples as these were initially introduced as neutral terminology intended to describe specific conditions.

[Red Badger]

It will never succeed. As soon as a new term such as "Challenged" or "Special", or "Gay" becomes widely used it becomes associated with the condition it describes, and becomes an insult.

Absolutely correct! However, the point is that in 10 years or so they get to do the "feel-good" thing all over again and thus make everybody "special".......

[dman4384]

“The terms imbecile, idiot, mental retardation, insanity and so on are good examples as these were initially introduced as neutral terminology intended to describe specific conditions.”

Exactly.

These once neutral terms ceased to neutral once the general public started using them as insults.

Most of them are used FAR more as insults now than to describe an actual medical condition, to the point where you can’t describe the condition without appearing to be insulting.

[MirrorField]

As soon as a new term such as "Challenged" or "Special", or "Gay" becomes widely used it becomes associated with the condition it describes, and becomes an insult.

I believe the technical term for this progression is "Euphemism Treadmill".