Although, like the article mentioned, there are plenty of words that we use without serious regard that are just as bad, we just have become numb to what they actually mean. For example:
moron - having a mental age between 8 and 12
dumb - slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity; lacking the power of human speech;
idiot - a person of subnormal intelligence
imbecile - retardation more severe than a moron but not as severe as an idiot
maniac, lunatic - an insane person
We throw these words around (as a society) all the time without regard to their original intent. Is this simply a case of forgiving the past and trying not to repeat those mistakes going forward? Where do we draw the line with allowing words to be used outside of their initial purpose?
I believe every one of those words was at one time used in a professional medical context (your "original intent"), to mean a specific thing. Over time they were all co-opted by laymen (us) as insults. Anal-retentive is another such term that's been co-opted, although I think it's still in current medical use.
Words are subject to fashion, just like clothes. 100 years ago Hillary was a male name, now it's more commonly a female name (in the US anyway).
"Where do we draw the line with allowing words to be used outside of their initial purpose?"
You can't. People are going to do whatever they want.
moron - having a mental age between 8 and 12
dumb - slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity; lacking the power of human speech;
idiot - a person of subnormal intelligence
imbecile - retardation more severe than a moron but not as severe as an idiot
maniac, lunatic - an insane person
We throw these words around (as a society) all the time without regard to their original intent. Is this simply a case of forgiving the past and trying not to repeat those mistakes going forward? Where do we draw the line with allowing words to be used outside of their initial purpose?