hello everyone i will help settle this epic debate
conflate is best understood in modern day use as a portmanteau of confuse & inflate (a definition or a concept). "inadvertent" mixing of concepts tends to be followed in its modern definition.
the etymology points to it as just a mix of concepts, not necessarily one that is confused: https://archives.cjr.org/language_corner/language_corner_020915.php
sometimes language usage just develops ironically like that lol, usually from a need to express a complex sentiment in a way that wasn't previously prolific or, from hindsight, an evaluation of the irony of its previous usage. sometimes it's just the works of a really popular writer that bring an ironic nuance to a previously neutral word. shakespeare did this with many words. euphemisms, as a concept, are another great example of this.
i hope that helps
sincerely
forum poster