Controversy

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A controversy is a dispute -- a disagreement, about which parties are actively arguing, from the "opposed sides" denoted in the word's Latin source. Controversies can range from a private disputes between two individuals to the largest social upheavals.

Structually, controversial may be recognized as a self-fulfilling adjective, which, whenever the reader sees it, should be critically scrutinized. Thus:

"Andrew Mellon, the American banker..."

"Andrew Mellon, the controversial American banker..."

Propagandists characteristically employ controversial as a "tar-brush," pejoratively to identify a subject and thus create a perceived atmosphere of controversy, where perhaps none authentically exists. Thus:

"Beatrix Potter's creation, Peter Rabbit..."

"Beatrix Potter's controversial creation, Peter Rabbit..."

It should be kept in mind that some quite genuine controversy is actually confined to a fanatical fringe element.

This entry was listed at Wikipedia:Votes for Deletion as exhibiting an insufficiently neutral point-of-view, before analysis of the way the word controversial functions had actually begun. Nevertheless issues, books, poems, games and religious cults are listed at entries Wikipedia:List of controversial issues, controversial books of poetry, list of controversial new religious movements and others.

A reader might compare the entry controversial book to judge whether or not an unjustified inclusion in such a listing automatically creates an atmosphere of "controversy."

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