We went to Canada yesterday, where we visited what may be the finest DQ on the continent. Yes, another acronym—because apparently nobody says full words anymore. We no longer visit Dairy Queen. We go to DQ. We do things ASAP, finish them PDQ, and pretend everyone knows what we mean.

That got me thinking. We live in an age of initials. Politics gives us POTUS and SCOTUS. Business gives us HR, ROI, and COB. The military, bless them, can tell a whole story without using a complete word. Even people become shorthand now. Victor Davis Hanson becomes VDH.

Some acronyms are useful. Others are camouflage. They make simple things sound important, complicated things sound manageable, and ordinary people feel le ...