Yo, Loser! You!

On a recent occasion, I questioned using the word "loser" in the teen circle.

It was explained to me (by a teen) that the word loser is a commonly used term of expression and does not mean anything and should not provoke if it's used on you.

I would tend to disagree. Nobody likes to be called a loser, even in jest. And although I will not debate that loser is common, the word itself connotes such a negativity that we do not even teach our children from a young age to say it.

Imagine this: At a match or a game, you have the winners and you have the losers. Do you hear the announcers say "Here are our winners! And there are our losers!" Is it not more common to talk about the losers as the contestants who did not win or make it, or the contestants who lost?

If your child or children did not make the cut in a team, do you teach him to say "I'm a loser, ma." or "We're a bunch of losers, ma."? I think not.

And let's take it to another context. What if there is no match, no game, no contest....and the word loser is used? What does it mean? What exactly are you when you are called such in the greater scheme of life?

This post is not to attack anyone (any teen for that matter) who thinks that there is nothing to the word "loser". Certainly, it is your right to be called a loser, and to be cool enough to accept the tag "loser" without reaction.

I just know I don't like it. And I'll never be cool enough to accept any such label. Neither will my children.

It's probably not much but that's my two cents worth on the subject.

YOU'RE A LOSER! Say, how do you feel about that?