Words have meanings...

and things.


As a writer, I am constantly reminded that words have meanings. And just because you can use a word in a sentence doesn't mean that's the best word or that it means what you think it means.

Case in point? The world Bully.



Looking to dictionary.com, the definition of the word "Bully":
noun, plural bul·lies.
1. a blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates smaller or weaker people.

verb (used with object), bul·lied, bul·ly·ing.
1. to act the bully toward; intimidate; domineer.
verb (used without object), bul·lied, bul·ly·ing.
2. to be loudly arrogant and overbearing.

So basically to be a bully is to be an asshole. It is to constantly intimidate someone who is weaker or smaller than you. It is to be the type of person who beats up the geek for his lunch money every day simply because you can. That is a bully.

 You know what is not a bully? Someone who disagrees with you. A bully is not someone who merely doesn't like what you have to say, even if they scream at you that you are wrong, the doesn't make them a bully. It does still make them an asshole, but not a bully.

But why are they not a bully simply because they don't agree with you? Because the key is this fancy word "habitually". If they yell at you daily for the same topic to the point that you can't get a word in? Yes, that's a bully. But to merely disagree with you on certain topics does not a bully make.

So why am I going in to this long, drawn out scope and sequence of what is a bully? Because last night I was called a bully, simply because I disagreed, vehemently, with someone. This was not habitual, because this was the first time I met this dude, but it was pretty passionate, on both ends. When he realized he had lost the group from his side, he immediately screamed that I was a bully and that I shouldn't become a teacher because we try to keep this type of shit out of the schools. He had a few more choice words to say, but I just kinda ignored him. He was rather drunk at this point.

I also see this attitude around the internet. I read certain blogs because they remind me of what I am constantly fighting against in the world, and among several of these blogs there is this idea that because someone comments and disagrees with them, they are being bullied. They are being told to shut their mouth and some how that is a violation of their first amendment rights and they are being bullied. I read it over and over and over, and while I don't comment, I find it quite suspect that so many people took a buzzword and are twisting it to their own agenda. It really makes me wonder if these people own a dictionary.

I just want to take this platform to remind people that words have meanings and shit, and just because you can use a specific word, it may not be advisable. To take a word that has true meaning, and is a real problem for many people today, and throw it around like loose change, doesn't help anyone. Please remember when you go to speak, the words you are saying will impact someone. The choices you make for your vocabulary will have meanings that you should bastardize. Say the words you mean, and mean the words you say. If you need help, use a dictionary. They are your friend.

Until Next Time.