I’d like to suggest placing a moratorium—maybe even a ban—on the noun “bourgeoisie,” as well as the adjectival form, “bourgeois,” and any other possible configurations that I haven’t thought of yet. Whatever usefulness this word has ever had seems to have been completely effaced by the fact that it has become synonymous with trite, yuppie college banter over cheap wine and discount organic food. It has that certain hint of ’60s faux radicalism, what with its vague allusion to class conflict and perhaps even the dreaded specter of Marxism.

It seems that the only group of people—the only class!—that uses the word “bourgeoisie” anymore is the bourgeoisie itself. On the other hand, you almost never hear anyone use the words “proletariat” and “proletarian” anymore. It’s an asymmetrical relationship: a surplus of the former, a lack of the latter. I wonder if this is because we’ve blown up every site of production in our action films?

So, to recap: eliminate the use of the word “bourgeoisie,” revive the word “proletariat”!