Loads of comments and quote tweets saying "Spot on " when in fact he gets several of them wrong, but that's not the point -- the point is where is the anti-intellectual defensiveness coming from? The parallels with Brexit and a perceived "fear of experts" is fascinating imo https://twitter.com/philmcnulty/status/1323203307020627968

Let's take Peter Reid out the equation for a second

Joe Average goes along with "xG is drivel!" etc largely because they feel talked down to and also because that view is propagated by old-school journos rejecting this new language and approach through fear it will outdate them

This shouldn't be read as me saying the folk I'm on about aren't otherwise tolerant, liberal-minded people, but the similarities between folk refusing to learn a new set of words or viewpoints because they feel attacked, and those duped into feeling attacked in everyday life? Hmm

https://twitter.com/JohnBrewin_/status/1322951364301959173?s=19

Which brings me onto the genesis of this, er, debate: "loveable curmudgeon"* John Brewin, saying this for some reason

(* I wouldn't be surprised if the great Max Rushden has called him this at somepoint)

You could be forgiven for thinking he was merely highlighting the fluidity of language over decades, but one peek at his participation in the replies belies his true motives: to make this "new" stuff seem stupid, and to make how it was "back in the day" seem superior and original