“Earnest”: An Elegant Word That We Need To Rediscover

There is no meritocracy in the usage of words

Photo by Pisit Heng on Unsplash

I think the word ‘earnest’ kind of has a negative connotation on some level. I think one of the things that’s happened is that being cynical is somehow conflated with being sophisticated. I think that’s problematic, to say the least.” — Josh Radnor

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Words don’t seem to have intrinsic merit. Some charming words disappear from popular imagination when people stop using it. They become victims of human whimsicality.

Consider the word “earnest.” It means sincere, purposeful, serious, diligent, trustworthy, diligent, industrious, and so on. It’s a word packed with meaning. It can be used in a variety of contexts.

Unfortunately “earnest” has gone out of fashion. Maybe, it sounds too formal or pedantic for the cult of simplicity that frowns on anything sounding quaint or seemingly old-fashioned.

We don’t hear about “earnet students” or “earnest leaders,” only “smart or hardworking students” or “reliable or trustworthy leaders.”

People don’t say “earnest words.” Instead, they say “plain words.”

The opening quote highlights one of the reasons why “earnest” is not very popular. People…