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In a world where every person is free to share their opinion directly to a mass audience; do we really need pundits anymore? (self.asklemmy)

submitted 2 months ago by Clinicallydepressedpoochie to c/asklemmy

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[–] Zonetrooper 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Part of it is that the question is phrased to make you react that way. By using "pundits" as opposed to "commentators" or "analysts", it primes you to think about someone at Fox (or, these days, Youtube) pounding on a table while screaming about immigrants, as opposed to a respected individual evenhandedly explaining the complexities of a nuanced issue.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

From 1913 Webster's, to show how "far" we've come:

Pun"dit (?), n. [Hind. pandit, Skr. pandita a learned man.] A learned man; a teacher; esp., a Brahman versed in the Sanskrit language, and in the science, laws, and religion of the Hindoos; in Cashmere, any clerk or native official. [Written also pandit.] [India]

[–] Zonetrooper 2 points 2 months ago

I did not know that is where it came from, but that's neat (if a touch depressing). Thank you for that info. Fascinating how languages shift.