Ollo!

Hi, and welcome to Mirandomness! This is where I (Miranda) put all of my random thoughts about anything and everything. Feel free to wander, but make sure to leave your shoes at the door.


Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Ban All the People Who Keep Trying to Ban Words

'Sup. Well, word on the street is that a bunch of people have gotten together, decided that the word 'bossy' is offensive and debilitating to women both young and old, and are now trying to ban its use.

Two syllables. Puh-Leeze.

Okay, let's start with the fact that banning a word is basically pointless. Unless it's completely government backed, and every single person is being observed 24/7, there is really no way to regulate such a thing. I'm sitting in my house in a room by myself right now. There. I just said it. Bossy, bossy, bossy.

Point two. Being bossy is not always a bad thing. As a leader in several different aspects of my life, I'll be the first in line to admit that I get a bit bossy sometimes. But you know what? THINGS GET DONE. The meeting goes quicker, plans are carried out faster, and no one is left standing around in confusion when I'm being bossy. Sure, I get a few eye-rolls or sighs now and then. But that's just part of being a leader of a group. You can't please everyone. But if the job is done well... I've never had someone look back and tell me that my bossy approach did not yield results. Just sayin'.

Point three. The banners are saying that the word has a negative effect on young girls, who will, having been labeled "bossy," be less willing to take charge and lead, especially when boys are involved. Now, for some reason, the US does have a persistent view that men should be over women. This is seen most prominently in the fact that we have never had a female president, which is another thing that really irritates me. Since the women's rights movement, progress has been made, but we're still working on it. Anyway, what I'm getting at is that society has tabooed "bossy" with a negative connotation, when in fact, it is in no way a bad thing that girls are trying to take charge. So wouldn't the solution really be to change the way we view the word? To give bossy a better face? I think it would. Better, at least, than banning it altogether.

My final point has to do with the innumerable, beloved cows of today and the past. Bossy has often been a good name for a cow. How could we dare to disrespect the memories of all those cows who bear the name? It's simply dreadful.

Okay. Rant over. But in all seriousness, I'm proud to be bossy. It's all a matter of recognizing when you've become a little too overbearing. And that goes for both men AND women.

Miranda out.

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