My guess: because Boomers have watched the decline and extravagant misuse of words.  Boomers were the last generation that received a half-way decent education in America. Go read 1984 and then talk about Boomers being stupid for paying attention to words now. Honestly, Boomers and all should have been paying MORE attention to the words, not less.  Now we are all watching 1984 come to life, like Frankenstein's monster. Kids don't even hear of 1984 in school anymore because radical ignoramuses (aka "teachers"), brainwashed by their own education, extend their brainwashing to their students.  Words are what we use to THINK.  They're what we use to COMMUNICATE with others what we THINK.  They matter.  When we can all read each other's minds to know what people are trying to communicate, we won't need them.  Until then, they are needed.  One of the Four Agreements is "Be immaculate with your words."  It's the hardest of the four agreements.  I'm still learning what it means on a regular basis. But it's taught me so much--paying attention to the words.