No One Should Ever Be Called Stupid!

Daily writing prompt

If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?

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It’s tough enough to be at the mercy of adults, to have to answer to people who often don’t know what they are doing. But to try your best and be called names is soul-defeating and painful. One of the worst of those names is being called stupid. It says to a child that they are incapable of learning and, therefore, have no value to anyone. If said enough times, a child can lose faith in themselves and feel different from others.

When I hear someone call a child stupid, I want to intervene because of the destructive nature of the word. It is as painful as being physically attacked, but it is the soul that feels the blow, not the body. It leaves you almost wishing to be hit instead, and the damage from the name can last a lifetime. For an adult to do that to a child is unforgivable, especially coming from a parent or a teacher who is meant to love a child and nurture their intellectual capacities.

One of the worst instances of being called stupid is during domestic abuse, when someone you believe loves you calls you such a horrible name. To hear the word applied to you makes you question your ability to comprehend the situation you are in. Some of the most accomplished women cease to see themselves as worthy of love or as capable human beings, in spite of their achievements, when a man calls them stupid. It is used to demean and defeat any pride one has in themselves. It works to destroy people’s sense of value, leaving one to believe they need to change, rather than their abuser.

So, “stupid” is a word I would permanently ban. It destroys the basic foundation of one’s belief in oneself as an able person, with the brains to be the best one can be, and it robs people, young and old, male and female, of the faith needed to reach their God-given potential. We all make mistakes; no one is infallible. Be understanding of the errors of others, and always be mindful that the old adage is wrong. Words are as powerful, painful, and destructive, maybe more so, than any stick or stone.

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