I came across a YouTube video (The Problem with Cancel Culture) and this curious sentence right at the beginning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3ZjTg1OpIE
"We should not undermine how quickly people can change their ideas."
(The description is We undermine how easy it is for us to become the people that we dislike.)
I have always understood the word undermine to mean to make something or someone become gradually less effective, confident, or successful or to deliberately say or do things that make someone appear less impressive or less important.
However, in this particular case, undermine doesn't seem to fit of these definitions.
Can you clarify what it means?
Best Answer
The speaker seems to be confused between 'undermine' (which makes no sense in this context) and 'underestimate' (which makes perfect sense).
It's been noticed by people making comments under the video.