Phobes and Philes

One of the things that really bothers me is how people misuse the Latin terms of "phobia" (fear of) and "philia" (love of). Two particular words that have taken on definition of their own is "homophobia" and "pedophilia".

Homophobia
What it actually is: Irrational fear of same things (as in, "homo" being the Latin word for things such as homogeneous, etc.)
What people use it as: Discrimination of homosexuals (as in, on the same terms of "racist")
Compare: Claustrophobia is fear of being in cramped spaces. Applied the same logic of homophobia, claustrophobia would be discrimination against Santa Claus.

Pedophilia
What it actually is: Love of children, in a good way, such as loving and caring for your own children
What people use it as: Child molesters who have ill intent and should be punished.
Compare: Oenophile, a lover of wine. An aficionado, to put it that way.



I wish we, as a society, could use both words correctly.

Edited later in the day to provide examples.