This move by Microsoft is more annoying than Clippy.

For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street with The Point.

Google Docs now offers users unsolicited advice about how to avoid using non-inclusive language.

So terms like landlord or motherboard will trigger a pop-up warning that reads,

these words may not be inclusive to all readers.

Folks of Tech Radar were generous when they said that this was a good idea poorly

executed.

Really, it's a bad idea that's poorly executed.

Look, it's more than annoying for Google to thought police your words, especially when

it doesn't correspond with reality.

Sure, not all police officers or policemen, but connecting landlord with slavery or class warfare misses the full history

of the word, and questioning the word motherboard?

That's just silly.

Obviously, Google's not a neutral facilitator of communication.

This move demonstrates a misunderstanding of language itself.

Words are more than social constructs.

They are to reflect reality.

Denying that certain realities exist with words

won't change reality. Instead, as a friend of mine used to say, sloppy words make sloppy

thought possible. Misusing language like this will damage our collective ability to think.

For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street with The Point.