"Why are you getting all dolled up?"
"Don't you remember? I told you we're going to a social this evening. It ought to be fun."
"Mr. Smith, you've been a model prisoner during your incarceration. The board sees a man before it who's paid his debt to society and is now ready resume his place as a productive part of that society."
"Why are you sitting here in the corner all by yourself?Why don't you mingle and be more sociable?"
"Do you know him through your job or do you know him socially as well?"
We many times see definitions in articles published at this site. Writers will use them to strengthen a point or to remind people that the meaning of a certain word isn't in and of itself positive or negative. Writers want to remind people at times that words can be manipulated so that they imply positivity or negativity.
Dictionary.com defines the word social as:- pertaining to, devoted to, or characterized by friendly companionship or relations: a social club.
- seeking or enjoying the companionship of others; friendly; sociable; gregarious.
- of, pertaining to, connected with, or suited to polite or fashionable society: a social event.
- living or disposed to live in companionship with others or in a community, rather than in isolation: People are social beings.
- of or pertaining to human society, esp. as a body divided into classes according to status: social rank.
- involved in many social activities: We're so busy working, we have to be a little less social now.
- of or pertaining to the life, welfare, and relations of human beings in a community: social problems.
- noting or pertaining to activities designed to remedy or alleviate certain unfavorable conditions of life in a community, esp. among the poor.
- pertaining to or advocating socialism.
- Zoology. living habitually together in communities, as bees or ants. Compare SOLITARY (def. 8).
- Rare. occurring or taking place between allies or confederates.
–noun
- a social gathering or party, esp. of or as given by an organized group: a church social.
There is nothing negative in the examples given above in how the word "social" or any variation of that word might be used in a sentence.
The definition obtained from Dictionary.com implies that "social" is not only not negative, but also helpful in human relationships.
Yet, if the dreaded suffix "ism" is used, social becomes synonymous with tyrannical. In fact, when many Americans think of "socialism", they think of a condition that flies in the face of some of the meanings for the word social.
For example, if the "social club" is the entire society, government surveillance replaces companionship.
"Suited to polite or fashionable society" becomes forced to be politically correct under penalty of law.
Alleviating "certain unfavorable conditions of life" becomes stealing portions of workers' income and giving that money to people who refuse to seek employment.
The Commies Are Coming
