This thread is dedicated to the reductio ad absurdum of the internet.
Let me start it off with this top tier school's commercial.
Yes, yes it's true: you can be such an under achiever your entire youth that actually getting into a real university was impossible, yet still be in the less than 0.0000000001% of all humanity who make it through the NASA astronaut program!
Uh, when did the University of Phoenix become a "top tier" school? Cause I think that fits the "You've got to be kidding!" idea.
Uh, when did the University of Phoenix become a "top tier" school? Cause I think that fits the "You've got to be kidding!" idea.
It's meant to be tongue in cheek and all that jazz.
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English, it's so...interesting. Apparently, this is the newest bad word, which children should be encouraged to omit from their vocabulary.
Not to brag, (exactly, this is to brag) but I have a PhD in English. I've taught both high school and university English (albeit as a 'lecturer' with regard to the latter), and I've lived all over the world; spent most of my life abroad, in fact. The point is, this is another one of those English words that I absolutely never understood to be either 'bad' or specifically targeted toward women. Sure, it's generally used to describe either a person who thinks they're the boss but clearly isn't, or to describe an overbearing boss, but I never understood it to be a pejorative descriptor of women.
Am I the only one? Did all of you perceive the word as, apparently, everyone in the world (now, as of four or five days ago, that is) does?
I have one sibling of either gender and used it equally often on both. They both used it equally often on me and the other. So no I'm not seeing it.
From what I know of feminist thought, yes, the term is quite offensive.
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The Latin for cow is 'bos', which is why we call cows bossy. I bring this up because, when asked the same question I asked above, my neighbor's wife said that it's offensive because when girls are called bossy it's the same as calling them cows. Has anyone heard this before?
Not before now.
Kind of denying that languages shift and words can take on new meanings, isn't she?
Next year "smart," "athletic," "strong," and "educated" will be added to the offensive words list.
Next year "smart," "athletic," "strong," and "educated" will be added to the offensive words list.
'Smart' is offensive to cognitively disadvantaged people.
'Strong' is offensive to weak people.'Athletic' is offensive to uncoordinated people.
'Educated' is offensive to scholastically disadvantaged people.
Also, I dislike it when men are called 'smart', because it's a euphemism for 'acerbic and sharp personalities that no-one can get along with'.
When people call men 'strong', they're really saying 'totalitarian task-master'.
When a man is called 'athletic', people are really saying he's 'stupid and uneducated; at least he can run and catch a ball'.
When men are called 'educated', people are really calling them 'pretentious know-it-alls'.
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English, it's so...interesting. Apparently, this is the newest bad word, which children should be encouraged to omit from their vocabulary.
Not to brag, (exactly, this is to brag) but I have a PhD in English. I've taught both high school and university English (albeit as a 'lecturer' with regard to the latter), and I've lived all over the world; spent most of my life abroad, in fact. The point is, this is another one of those English words that I absolutely never understood to be either 'bad' or specifically targeted toward women. Sure, it's generally used to describe either a person who thinks they're the boss but clearly isn't, or to describe an overbearing boss, but I never understood it to be a pejorative descriptor of women.
Am I the only one? Did all of you perceive the word as, apparently, everyone in the world (now, as of four or five days ago, that is) does?
Well, not an American so I can't say anything about my surrounding, BUT... I do watch the American reality show "Survivor", where actual Americans say mean things about each other. The word "Bossy" is used to describe all negative leaders there, not only bossy women. So from my small sample size, it appears that the word is not associated with women more than it is with men.
English, it's so...interesting. Apparently, this is the newest bad word, which children should be encouraged to omit from their vocabulary.
Not to brag, (exactly, this is to brag) but I have a PhD in English. I've taught both high school and university English (albeit as a 'lecturer' with regard to the latter), and I've lived all over the world; spent most of my life abroad, in fact. The point is, this is another one of those English words that I absolutely never understood to be either 'bad' or specifically targeted toward women. Sure, it's generally used to describe either a person who thinks they're the boss but clearly isn't, or to describe an overbearing boss, but I never understood it to be a pejorative descriptor of women.
Am I the only one? Did all of you perceive the word as, apparently, everyone in the world (now, as of four or five days ago, that is) does?
So far, I don't think I've heard from a single person who agrees with this campaign, except for the journalists and news personalities who want to interview her about it.
Yeah, if 'bossy' is a problem, it's a very subtle one. Maybe it's prevalent in one area of the US or something.
Now if they are talking about the attitude towards a woman in power, that's different. I've overheard both men and women talk about me derogatorily and none of them needed the word bossy. I chalked it up to envy because it was really superficial griping.
I think their campaign may be off base.
The Latin for cow is 'bos', which is why we call cows bossy.
Who is we? I grew up in rural south Texas. The only side of my yard that didn't have cows on the other side of the fence was the side with the street. I'd never heard cows being called bossy on a regular basis.
Unless you're saying that the common cow nickname of "Bessy" is a corruption of "bossy"? Because I've never heard that before either, but I might find it a little more believable.
The Latin for cow is 'bos', which is why we call cows bossy.Who is we? I grew up in rural south Texas. The only side of my yard that didn't have cows on the other side of the fence was the side with the street. I'd never heard cows being called bossy on a regular basis.
Unless you're saying that the common cow nickname of "Bessy" is a corruption of "bossy"? Because I've never heard that before either, but I might find it a little more believable.
Naturally, 'we' are those who agree with me, and 'them' are those who disagree.
Next year "smart," "athletic," "strong," and "educated" will be added to the offensive words list.'Smart' is offensive to cognitively disadvantaged people.
'Strong' is offensive to weak people.
'Athletic' is offensive to uncoordinated people.
'Educated' is offensive to scholastically disadvantaged people.Also, I dislike it when men are called 'smart', because it's a euphemism for 'acerbic and sharp personalities that no-one can get along with'.
When people call men 'strong', they're really saying 'totalitarian task-master'.
When a man is called 'athletic', people are really saying he's 'stupid and uneducated; at least he can run and catch a ball'.
When men are called 'educated', people are really calling them 'pretentious know-it-alls'.
Is this a joke? Do you really believe all of this wholeheartedly? Is there no positive adjective that you think doesn't by relation or comparison make someone somewhere offended or feel put down or less secure/fulfilled/another term that won't make someone somewhere feel.... less secure/fulfi....
This is a serious query, and from a person interested in social justice.
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Next year "smart," "athletic," "strong," and "educated" will be added to the offensive words list.'Smart' is offensive to cognitively disadvantaged people.
'Strong' is offensive to weak people.
'Athletic' is offensive to uncoordinated people.
'Educated' is offensive to scholastically disadvantaged people.Also, I dislike it when men are called 'smart', because it's a euphemism for 'acerbic and sharp personalities that no-one can get along with'.
When people call men 'strong', they're really saying 'totalitarian task-master'.
When a man is called 'athletic', people are really saying he's 'stupid and uneducated; at least he can run and catch a ball'.
When men are called 'educated', people are really calling them 'pretentious know-it-alls'.
Is this a joke? Do you really believe all of this wholeheartedly? Is there no positive adjective that you think doesn't by relation or comparison make someone somewhere offended or feel put down or less secure/fulfilled/another term that won't make someone somewhere feel.... less secure/fulfi....
This is a serious query, and from a person interested in social justice.
Given the alias used I'm fairly certain it's a joke/exaggeration.
That said, I would not at all be surprised to find someone embracing this line of thought.
In the UK, "bossy" is frequently followed by "cow" and is definitely a pejorative term used to describe women. When not followed by "cow", it can be followed by "boots" and still seem female-centric (though less harsh).
There is also this.
Bossy on it's own though... not sure.
It certainly doesn't mean "Like a boss" however. Link NSFW by the way!
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I must admit, without following the original link, I was expecting a much worse word.
There's plenty of worse words to describe an overbearing person, that would be offensive to the fairer gender.
Two of which, Mrs Snorter frequently compounds, into one Word of Power, when describing some of the more egregious offenders.