It’s like yelling “fire” when there isn’t one. You’ll be ignored when you really need to be heard when you over-reach in making a comparision that can’t be justified. Made to Stick co-authors, Dan and Chip Heath dub this "semantic stretch" – and it is worth your reading.
One example they offer:
"We look at getting rid of the Confederacy as cultural genocide. They're attacking my ancestors, they're attacking my culture, they're attacking my heritage."
— Mr. Robert Banks, Member of Sons of the Confederate Veterans, Atlanta Journal, December 14, 1992.
The Heaths write, “’Semantic stretch’ refers to the way that words can be overused to the point where their impact is diluted. I.e., if people start using the word "genocide" to mean "saying bad things about the Confederate flag," and if the word is overused enough times and in enough situations, the term starts to lose the full measure of emotional horror that it should rightfully possess.”
While you read this blog comment at Powell’s Books’ excellent web site you may well be tempted to look around at their other blogs and reviews.
