There are at least 888 words in the English language that end in “ism”.

I became interested in isms and how we use them in our every-day lives when I recently watched the 1938 film, You Can’t Take it With You, during which the main character, Martin Vanderhof, played by Lionel Barrymore (Drew’s grandfather) gives quite an interesting diatribe on the usefulness of isms in our modern culture:

Grandpa Vanderhof:“Penny, Why don’t you write a play about ism-mania?”
Penny Sycamore:“Ism-mania?”
Grandpa Vanderhof:“Yeah, sure. You know, communism, fascism, voodooism. Everybody’s got an ‘ism’ these days.”
Penny Sycamore:“I thought it was an itch or something.”
Grandpa Vanderhof:“It’s just as catching. When things go a little bad now days, you go out and get yourself an ‘ism’ and you’re in business.”
Penny Sycamore:“I’ve got it: it might help Cynthia to have an ‘ism’ in the monastery!”
Grandpa Vanderhof:“It might at that. Only give her an Americanism. Let her know something about Americans. John Paul Jones, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, Washington, Jefferson, Monroe, Lincoln, Grant, Lee, Edison and Mark Twain. When things got tough for those boys, they didn’t run around looking for isms. Lincoln said, ‘With malice towards none, with charity to all’. Now days they say ‘think the way I do or I’ll bomb the daylights out of you’.”

I was in an attentive frame of mind when I saw YCTIWY, which always makes me think I have a certain amount of extra clarity. When I saw this scene, my so-called clarity proudly announced: 1938 isn’t as far removed from today as I thought it was.

We’ve had 70 years to figure out a better way to do things, but human beings (no, I’m not limiting this statement to Americans, because we aren’t the only ones doing it…we’re just better at it than anyone else) are still bombing the crap out of people who don’t think like we do.

So, I decided to investigate isms.

The List

I mentioned above that I found a list of 888 isms. Guess what I’m gonna do? Don’t feel like it? OK, I’ll tell you. I’m going to write about every buggering one of them.

Here they are:

  • abolitionism
  • absenteeism
  • absolutism
  • abstractionism
  • absurdism
  • academicism
  • academism
  • achromatism
  • acrotism
  • actinism
  • activism
  • adoptianism
  • adoptionism
  • adventurism
  • aeroembolism
  • aestheticism
  • ageism
  • agism
  • agnosticism
  • agrarianism
  • alarmism
  • albinism
  • alcoholism
  • aldosteronism
  • algorism
  • alienism
  • allelism
  • allelomorphism
  • allomorphism
  • alpinism
  • altruism
  • amateurism
  • Americanism
  • amoralism
  • anabaptism
  • anabolism
  • anachronism
  • analphabetism
  • anarchism
  • anecdotalism
  • aneurism
  • anglicism
  • animalism
  • animism
  • anisotropism
  • antagonism
  • anthropocentrism
  • anthropomorphism
  • anthropopathism
  • antialcoholism
  • antiauthoritarianism
  • antiblackism
  • anticapitalism
  • anticlericalism
  • anticolonialism
  • anticommercialism
  • anticommunism
  • antielitism
  • antievolutionism
  • antifascism
  • antifeminism
  • antiferromagnetism
  • antihumanism
  • antiliberalism
  • antimaterialism
  • antimilitarism
  • antinepotism
  • antinomianism
  • antiquarianism
  • antiracism
  • antiradicalism
  • antirationalism
  • antirealism
  • antireductionism
  • antiritualism
  • antiromanticism
  • antiterrorism
  • aphorism
  • apocalypticism
  • apocalyptism
  • archaism
  • asceticism
  • assimilationism
  • associationism
  • asterism
  • astigmatism
  • asynchronism
  • atavism
  • atheism
  • athleticism
  • atomism
  • atonalism
  • atropism
  • atticism
  • autecism
  • authoritarianism
  • autism
  • autoecism
  • autoeroticism
  • autoerotism
  • automatism
  • automorphism
  • baalism
  • baptism
  • barbarianism
  • barbarism
  • behaviorism
  • biblicism
  • bibliophilism
  • bicameralism
  • biculturalism
  • bidialectalism
  • bilateralism
  • bilingualism
  • bimetallism
  • biologism
  • bioregionalism
  • bipartisanism
  • bipedalism
  • biracialism
  • blackguardism
  • bogyism
  • bohemianism
  • bolshevism
  • boosterism
  • bossism
  • botulism
  • bourbonism
  • boyarism
  • bromism
  • brutism
  • bruxism
  • bureaucratism
  • cabalism
  • caciquism
  • cambism
  • cannibalism
  • capitalism
  • careerism
  • casteism
  • catabolism
  • catastrophism
  • catechism
  • cavalierism
  • centralism
  • centrism
  • ceremonialism
  • charism
  • charlatanism
  • chauvinism
  • chemism
  • chemotropism
  • chimaerism
  • chimerism
  • chrism
  • chromaticism
  • cicisbeism
  • cinchonism
  • civicism
  • civism
  • classicism
  • classism
  • clericalism
  • clonism
  • cockneyism
  • collaborationism
  • collectivism
  • colloquialism
  • colonialism
  • colorism
  • commensalism
  • commercialism
  • communalism
  • communism
  • communitarianism
  • conceptualism
  • concretism
  • confessionalism
  • conformism
  • congregationalism
  • connubialism
  • conservatism
  • constitutionalism
  • constructivism
  • consumerism
  • controversialism
  • conventionalism
  • corporatism
  • corporativism
  • cosmism
  • cosmopolitanism
  • cosmopolitism
  • countercriticism
  • counterculturalism
  • counterterrorism
  • creationism
  • credentialism
  • cretinism
  • criticism
  • cronyism
  • cryptorchidism
  • cryptorchism
  • cubism
  • cultism
  • cynicism
  • czarism
  • dadaism
  • dandyism
  • defeatism
  • deism
  • demonism
  • denominationalism
  • despotism
  • determinism
  • deviationism
  • diabolism
  • diamagnetism
  • diastereoisomerism
  • diastrophism
  • dichroism
  • dichromatism
  • dicrotism
  • didacticism
  • diffusionism
  • dilettantism
  • dimerism
  • dimorphism
  • dioecism
  • ditheism
  • divisionism
  • doctrinairism
  • dodoism
  • dogmatism
  • druidism
  • dualism
  • dwarfism
  • dynamism
  • dysphemism
  • ecclesiasticism
  • echoism
  • eclecticism
  • ecoterrorism
  • ecotourism
  • ecumenicalism
  • ecumenicism
  • ecumenism
  • egalitarianism
  • egocentrism
  • egoism
  • egotism
  • electromagnetism
  • elitism
  • embolism
  • emotionalism
  • empiricism
  • enantiomorphism
  • encyclopedism
  • endemism
  • endomorphism
  • endoparasitism
  • entrepreneurialism
  • environmentalism
  • eonism
  • epicenism
  • epicureanism
  • epicurism
  • epigonism
  • epigrammatism
  • epiphenomenalism
  • epiphytism
  • epizoism
  • equalitarianism
  • eremitism
  • erethism
  • ergotism
  • eroticism
  • erotism
  • erraticism
  • erythrism
  • escapism
  • esotericism
  • essentialism
  • establishmentarianism
  • estheticism
  • etatism
  • ethnocentrism
  • eudaemonism
  • eudaimonism
  • euhemerism
  • eunuchism
  • euphemism
  • euphuism
  • evangelism
  • evolutionism
  • exceptionalism
  • exclusivism
  • exhibitionism
  • existentialism
  • exorcism
  • exoticism
  • exotism
  • expansionism
  • expatriatism
  • experimentalism
  • expertism
  • expressionism
  • externalism
  • extremism
  • factionalism
  • factualism
  • faddism
  • fairyism
  • familism
  • fanaticism
  • faradism
  • fascism
  • fatalism
  • fauvism
  • favism
  • favoritism
  • federalism
  • feminism
  • ferrimagnetism
  • ferromagnetism
  • fetichism
  • fetishism
  • feudalism
  • feuilletonism
  • fideism
  • finalism
  • flagellantism
  • fogyism
  • foreignism
  • formalism
  • fraternalism
  • freneticism
  • funambulism
  • functionalism
  • fundamentalism
  • futilitarianism
  • futurism
  • gallicism
  • galvanism
  • gangsterism
  • genteelism
  • geomagnetism
  • geotropism
  • giantism
  • gigantism
  • globalism
  • gnosticism
  • gourmandism
  • governmentalism
  • gradualism
  • grangerism
  • greenbackism
  • gutturalism
  • gynandromorphism
  • gypsyism
  • heathenism
  • hedonism
  • heliotropism
  • helotism
  • hemimorphism
  • henotheism
  • hermaphroditism
  • hermeticism
  • hermetism
  • hermitism
  • heroinism
  • heroism
  • heteroecism
  • heteromorphism
  • heterothallism
  • highbrowism
  • hipsterism
  • hirsutism
  • hispanism
  • historicism
  • hoboism
  • holism
  • holometabolism
  • homeomorphism
  • homoeroticism
  • homomorphism
  • homothallism
  • hoodlumism
  • hoodooism
  • hooliganism
  • hucksterism
  • humanism
  • humanitarianism
  • hybridism
  • hydrotropism
  • hylozoism
  • hypercatabolism
  • hypercriticism
  • hyperinsulinism
  • hypermetabolism
  • hyperparasitism
  • hyperparathyroidism
  • hyperpituitarism
  • hyperrealism
  • hyperthyroidism
  • hyperurbanism
  • hypnotism
  • hypocorism
  • hypoparathyroidism
  • hypopituitarism
  • hypothyroidism
  • idealism
  • idiotism
  • idolism
  • illiberalism
  • illuminism
  • illusionism
  • imagism
  • immanentism
  • immaterialism
  • immobilism
  • immoralism
  • imperialism
  • impressionism
  • incendiarism
  • incrementalism
  • indeterminism
  • indifferentism
  • individualism
  • industrialism
  • infantilism
  • inflationism
  • initialism
  • institutionalism
  • instrumentalism
  • insularism
  • intellectualism
  • internationalism
  • interventionism
  • introspectionism
  • intuitionism
  • invalidism
  • iodism
  • iotacism
  • irrationalism
  • irredentism
  • ism
  • isochronism
  • isolationism
  • isomerism
  • isomorphism
  • jesuitism
  • jingoism
  • jism
  • journalism
  • jujuism
  • kaiserism
  • laconism
  • laicism
  • landlordism
  • lathyrism
  • latitudinarianism
  • leftism
  • legalism
  • legitimism
  • lesbianism
  • liberalism
  • libertarianism
  • libertinism
  • literalism
  • lobbyism
  • localism
  • locoism
  • loyalism
  • luminism
  • lyricism
  • lyrism
  • magnetism
  • majoritarianism
  • malapropism
  • mammonism
  • mandarinism
  • mannerism
  • manorialism
  • masochism
  • materialism
  • maternalism
  • mechanism
  • medievalism
  • melanism
  • meliorism
  • mentalism
  • mercantilism
  • mesmerism
  • messianism
  • metabolism
  • metamerism
  • metamorphism
  • metasomatism
  • methodism
  • microorganism
  • microprism
  • microseism
  • militarism
  • millenarianism
  • millennialism
  • minimalism
  • misoneism
  • modernism
  • momism
  • monachism
  • monadism
  • monarchism
  • monasticism
  • monetarism
  • mongolism
  • monism
  • monochromatism
  • monoecism
  • monometallism
  • monomorphism
  • monorchidism
  • monotheism
  • moralism
  • moronism
  • morphinism
  • mosaicism
  • mullahism
  • multiculturalism
  • multilateralism
  • multilingualism
  • multiracialism
  • mutism
  • mutualism
  • mysticism
  • nabobism
  • nanism
  • narcism
  • narcissism
  • nationalism
  • nativism
  • naturalism
  • naturism
  • necessitarianism
  • necrophilism
  • negativism
  • neoclassicism
  • neocolonialism
  • neoconservatism
  • neoliberalism
  • neologism
  • neoplasticism
  • neorealism
  • nephrism
  • nepotism
  • neuroticism
  • neutralism
  • nihilism
  • nomadism
  • nominalism
  • nomism
  • nonconformism
  • nondenominationalism
  • nonobjectivism
  • nonrepresentationalism
  • nudism
  • obeahism
  • obelism
  • obiism
  • objectivism
  • obscurantism
  • obstructionism
  • occultism
  • officialism
  • ogreism
  • ogrism
  • onanism
  • operationalism
  • operationism
  • opiumism
  • opportunism
  • optimism
  • oralism
  • organicism
  • organism
  • orientalism
  • ostracism
  • overoptimism
  • pacificism
  • pacifism
  • paeanism
  • paedomorphism
  • paganism
  • paleomagnetism
  • paludism
  • pantheism
  • parajournalism
  • parallelism
  • paralogism
  • paramagnetism
  • parasitism
  • parecism
  • parkinsonism
  • parochialism
  • particularism
  • passivism
  • pastoralism
  • paternalism
  • patriotism
  • pauperism
  • pedestrianism
  • peonism
  • perfectionism
  • personalism
  • pessimism
  • phallicism
  • phallism
  • pharisaism
  • phenomenalism
  • philhellenism
  • philistinism
  • photochromism
  • photojournalism
  • photoperiodism
  • phototropism
  • physicalism
  • pianism
  • pictorialism
  • pietism
  • plagiarism
  • plebeianism
  • pleinairism
  • plenism
  • pleochroism
  • pleomorphism
  • plumbism
  • pluralism
  • pococurantism
  • poeticism
  • pointillism
  • polycentrism
  • polyglotism
  • polyglottism
  • polymerism
  • polymorphism
  • polytheism
  • populism
  • porism
  • positivism
  • postmillenarianism
  • postmillennialism
  • postmodernism
  • pragmaticism
  • pragmatism
  • predestinarianism
  • premillenarianism
  • premillennialism
  • presentism
  • priapism
  • priggism
  • primitivism
  • prism
  • privatism
  • probabilism
  • professionalism
  • prognathism
  • progressivism
  • prosaism
  • proselytism
  • prostatism
  • protectionism
  • provincialism
  • pseudoclassicism
  • pseudomorphism
  • psychologism
  • ptyalism
  • puerilism
  • pugilism
  • purism
  • puritanism
  • pygmyism
  • quackism
  • quietism
  • quislingism
  • quixotism
  • rabbinism
  • racemism
  • racialism
  • racism
  • radicalism
  • rationalism
  • reactionaryism
  • realism
  • rebaptism
  • recidivism
  • reconstructionism
  • reductionism
  • reformism
  • refugeeism
  • regionalism
  • relativism
  • representationalism
  • republicanism
  • restrictionism
  • revanchism
  • revisionism
  • revivalism
  • rheumatism
  • rightism
  • rigorism
  • ritualism
  • robotism
  • romanticism
  • rowdyism
  • royalism
  • ruffianism
  • ruralism
  • sacerdotalism
  • sacramentalism
  • sadism
  • sadomasochism
  • salvationism
  • sansculottism
  • sapphism
  • sardonicism
  • satanism
  • saturnism
  • savagism
  • scapegoatism
  • scepticism
  • schematism
  • schism
  • scholasticism
  • scientism
  • sciolism
  • secessionism
  • sectarianism
  • sectionalism
  • secularism
  • seism
  • seismism
  • semicolonialism
  • sensationalism
  • sensualism
  • sentimentalism
  • separatism
  • serialism
  • servomechanism
  • sexism
  • shamanism
  • simplism
  • sinapism
  • skepticism
  • slumism
  • snobbism
  • socialism
  • solarism
  • solecism
  • solidarism
  • solipsism
  • somnambulism
  • sophism
  • sovietism
  • specialism
  • speciesism
  • spiritism
  • spiritualism
  • spoonerism
  • standpattism
  • statism
  • stereoisomerism
  • stoicism
  • structuralism
  • subjectivism
  • supernaturalism
  • superorganism
  • superparasitism
  • superpatriotism
  • superrealism
  • superromanticism
  • supranationalism
  • suprematism
  • surrealism
  • survivalism
  • sybaritism
  • sycophantism
  • syllogism
  • symbolism
  • symmetallism
  • synchronism
  • syncretism
  • syndactylism
  • syndicalism
  • synergism
  • systematism
  • tachism
  • talmudism
  • tarantism
  • tautomerism
  • tectonism
  • teetotalism
  • televangelism
  • tenebrism
  • teratism
  • territorialism
  • terrorism
  • theatricalism
  • theism
  • theocentrism
  • thermoperiodism
  • thermotropism
  • thigmotropism
  • thromboembolism
  • titanism
  • toadyism
  • tokenism
  • totalism
  • totalitarianism
  • totemism
  • tourism
  • traditionalism
  • transcendentalism
  • transnationalism
  • transsexualism
  • transvestism
  • traumatism
  • triadism
  • tribalism
  • trichromatism
  • triliteralism
  • tritheism
  • triumphalism
  • troilism
  • tropism
  • truism
  • tsarism
  • tzarism
  • ultraconservatism
  • ultraism
  • ultraleftism
  • ultraliberalism
  • ultramontanism
  • ultranationalism
  • ultrarealism
  • uniformitarianism
  • unionism
  • unitarianism
  • universalism
  • uranism
  • urbanism
  • ureotelism
  • uricotelism
  • utilitarianism
  • utopianism
  • utopism
  • vagabondism
  • valetudinarianism
  • vampirism
  • vandalism
  • vanguardism
  • veganism
  • vegetarianism
  • ventriloquism
  • verbalism
  • verism
  • vernacularism
  • vigilantism
  • virilism
  • vitalism
  • vocalism
  • vocationalism
  • volcanism
  • voltaism
  • voluntarism
  • voluntaryism
  • volunteerism
  • voodooism
  • vorticism
  • voyeurism
  • vulcanism
  • vulgarism
  • warlordism
  • welfarism
  • wholism
  • witticism
  • workaholism
  • xerophytism
  • yahooism
  • zombiism

If you actually read this far, you’re completely cracked. Welcome to the club.