Today's AWAD is:

presentism (PREZ-uhn-tiz-uhm) noun

Evaluating past events and people by present-day values.

[From English present, from Middle English, from Old French, from Latin praesent- (stem of praesens), from present participle of praeesse (to be present before others), from prae- (pre-) + esse (to be).]

Presentism is the application of current ideals and moral standards to interpret historical figures and their actions. For example, consider Mr. John Teacher who caned pupils in his 1889 class. A presentist would say that Mr. Teacher engaged in unacceptable violence against children
while one with an opposing view would claim that since it was considered OK to hit children at the time, Mr. Teacher isn't to be blamed.

Have you ever met an -ism that isn't a little extreme?

Presentism is like perfectionism applied after-the-fact -- to others, of course, never to ourselves.

We're always a lot more charitable with ourselves. When we look back on our own mistakes, we shrug our shoulders and say "Hey, hindsight is 20-20."

Now, you might be asking yourself: "What has presentism got to do with "horticulture"?" Looking back on it, nothing at all. But that's the trouble with "presentism", don't you see? So I was right about "horticulture" after all.