Agile - A Word To Empower Our Decisions

Words are powerful, they effect our perceptions and decisions. In 2001 seventeen leaders people got together in Utah and emerged with the Agile Manifesto which gave us the word/vocabulary of 'Agile' software development. A powerful concept given and now owned by the software development community. With the high profile that eXtreme Programming enjoys will 'Agile' become a byword for XP? XP stands in it own right, I hope that its popularity does not overshadow the concept that 'Agile' give us.

It is difficult to implement the XP methodology and not be Agile, but is Agile just XP? If we use 'Agile' as a byword for XP are we loosing the opportunities of the language of the manifesto offered us. Will the seed of other methodology/processes be lost in the XP disco strobe lights?

Men suppose their reason has command over their words; still it happens that words in return exercise authority on reason. —Francis Bacon.

XP may be Agile, but Agile is not XP. To confuse the two is to limit the possibilities of XP evolving or of using other agile approaches like Crystal Clear. Is XP's popularity now a danger to blocking our ability to adapt and improve? Interesting considering XP's retrospective process.