A language simply “is”. If you’re trying to tell people what it is, you’re being descriptive; if you tell them how it should be, you’re being prescriptive. Both things have their place, even if linguists (when studying a language) focus on one to the detriment of other.
The problem is that short-sighted prescriptions are so bloody common that they take the spotlight from more reasonable things like “don’t use slurs, you’re demeaning people” or “write in a way suitable for your target audience”, etc.
A language simply “is”. If you’re trying to tell people what it is, you’re being descriptive; if you tell them how it should be, you’re being prescriptive. Both things have their place, even if linguists (when studying a language) focus on one to the detriment of other.
The problem is that short-sighted prescriptions are so bloody common that they take the spotlight from more reasonable things like “don’t use slurs, you’re demeaning people” or “write in a way suitable for your target audience”, etc.