OT - Dumb things

This is my first off-topic post. So if you are after some story about my latest trials, then you can close your browser now.

I was reading an article about the comparative longevity of more and less intelligent fruit flies in this week's New Scientist and a phrase in the article struck me: "Brainier flies live shorter lives than dumb ones."

Now there is a phrase in plain English that I admire. Honest and to the point. There are brainier flies and there are dumb flies. When was the last time you heard someone, especially someone in the public eye, refer a human's intelligence level in this way? Why are terms like dumb so imbued with negativity that we have to use new descriptions like "less intelligent". When does that label take on the tarnish of "dumb"? Will we have to start saying "differently intelligent"?

You may argue that the social stigma and taboo on such terms comes from their common use in an insulting manner so that they have been robbed of their original context to such a degree that they can no longer be used as a simple, honest (if subjective) description.

I think it is time we started judging the intent, not just the content of what people say, don't you?