I’ve recently been thinking about the word “deviant”. This is a word that I use to describe people who do things differently from what is considered normal. For example, someone who doesn’t like sports or only watches cooking shows on television might be called deviant. The question is: Is this fair?

The Problem with the Word Deviant

Let’s start with the word deviant. It’s not a new word, but it has been used in social science research for decades. The Oxford English Dictionary defines deviance as “the state or condition of being different from an accepted standard.” It can also mean “a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected.”

When you use this term to describe someone who doesn’t fit into your idea of what is “normal,” you’re implying that they are somehow wrong or bad–and that their difference is somehow bad too. That kind of thinking leads us down a dangerous path where we think less about how society could accommodate everyone’s differences and more about how we can force everyone into our narrow vision of “the right way” (which usually benefits those who are already privileged).

Devious vs. Deviant

If you’re looking for a word that describes someone who is not just crafty or clever but also cunning, devious may be your best bet. When we use this term to describe someone’s behavior in a negative way, it’s often because we feel that they were acting with an intent to deceive or mislead us in some way–and it worked!

Devious comes from the Latin word divitiae, meaning “riches.” A person can be “devious” because they possess riches (or power) and use them to get what they want without regard for others. However, sometimes this term also refers to someone who has been tricked into giving up something valuable due to their own naivety; for instance: “The con artist was able to convince him that his wife had left him all her money when she actually hadn’t gone anywhere.”

Deviant means different from the norm; one might say that this definition applies precisely when describing people who behave differently than expected based on societal expectations.*

The Power of Language

Language is a powerful tool. It shapes our thoughts and values, and it can be used to promote equality and justice or perpetuate discrimination and injustice. The power of language has long been recognized by legal scholars, who have considered how words like “devious” or “deviant” influence our understanding of criminal behavior. But these terms are also important in everyday life–they help us communicate with one another about morality, ethics, and fairness.

In this blog post I’ll explore the subtle nuances that distinguish these two words: what they mean; how they’re used differently depending on context; why it matters whether we use them positively or negatively; how we might use them more effectively with respect for each other’s humanity (or lack thereof); and finally some suggestions on how we might change our own thinking about others when using these terms ourselves!

Language shapes our thoughts and values, so we should be careful about how we use it.

Language is a powerful tool that has the power to shape the way we think and act. If you want to change something in your life, you need to change your language. For example:

• If you say “I can’t afford this,” it means that money is holding you back from doing what you want with your life or achieving some goal–but if instead say “I choose not to spend my money on this,” then suddenly there’s no barrier between what you want and what could happen in reality. This subtle shift in words will shift the energy around them too!

We hope this post has helped you understand the difference between deviant and devious, as well as the power of language. Language is a powerful tool that can shape our thoughts and values, so it’s important to be aware of how we use it.