“You’re a douchebag!”
Those mean-spirited words spewed themselves my way about a year ago on Commercial Drive, which is my neighbourhood. To be honest, they still haunt me. Nobody likes to be called any derivative of a douche-like noun/verb/adjective, as it is undeniably negative. For example, I make a strong case for professional-kindness to my students because, when it comes to business (or any other kind of collaboration), nobody wants to work with a douchebag. The thing about being a douchebag, though, is that it is entirely subjective. So, whether I am or not will be left up to you, readers – but, hey, this isn’t about me.
Needless to say, my friends, co-workers and strangers I meet on public transit have become well versed in the above tale. One such good friend, Gumbooteer Theodora Lamb, pitched the brilliant idea to discuss the term/concept/factoid/person/people/word “douchebag” as it relates to communities everywhere around the world and beyond. Google “douchebag” and you can see just how much this word has woven its way into our social fabic.
As this is a blog an online magazine about community, it seems only natural that we address such a word/thing/person that is, for better or worse, a super-popular nomenclature within our cultural landscape. So, for the next week, the Daily Gumboot will discuss douchebags from a myriad of perspectives, including, but not limited to, etymology, history, “the douchebag” around the world, reforming (or not reforming) douchebags, photographic analysis of “douchebags”, and an interview with “Pete”, the Daily Gumboot’s resident dou- well, you get the idea.
Many questions – such as, “why can you say ‘douchebag’ on television?” and “are there douchebags in East Africa? If so, how are they similar/different from douchebags in Yaletown?” and “what will be the long-term impact of douchebags on our communities?” – will be addressed logically, rationally, intelligently, professionally, and hilariously by the DG‘s talented team. I hope you have fun with it!
- John Horn, Editor-in-Chief
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We have an interview with THE Pete? I’m flabberghasted… XD
Stay tuned for my wild tirade against the triply mutally exculsive term “emo hipster douchbag” employed by some of the Gumboot’s resident d-bag experts. That is, experts on douchebags, not doucey experts. Mostly.
Since our conversation about what is a douche bag last Friday, I have had my eyes peeled for the fashion variety. My criteria is becoming honed. I appreciate fashion in all its variey from the funky to the ridiculous. But when bad fashion + accompanying attitude of douchie-ness MEET, well that =’s trouble and merits closer critique. A bit like a specimen.
That is all.
Speaking of fashion, Phil and I saw an interestingly dressed fellow at Granville Island the other day. Full on suspenders, skinny tie and pressed dress pants serving coffee at JJ Bean next to his coworkers who were dressed in jeans, pumps and stretched t-shirts.. But what transformed him from hipster to silly fellow? Well that would be the Hitler mustache he was sporting. Not a fake one, a real one. Odd. So very odd.
Hmmm…is it strictly fashion (or our subjective interpretation of peoples’ fashion/style) that make them douchebags? Or is it more about attitude, bahaviour and the way one treats other people?
Perhaps this case simply involved a man with a moustache…
This is a funny idea John. But everyone should know that he said he would write something even if I don’t give the interview. I don’t trust you to write somethig “postive” because that’s just a front for your other ideas so Ill do it myself. That’s what the people want!!!
But I’m not a douchebag even if it is a funny word and this is a great thing to writw about.
- Real Pete
Pete I’m so excited to read your profile on Sunday!
Kurt
Kurt’s a Deutschbag.
For those who know me as Deuce, this will come as no surprise, but – when caught in the rain, a couple of garbage bags + some ductape = an amazingly functional ‘deucebag’.
You’re not gonna find that colloquial reference on Wikipedia, no sir-ee bob.
Awesome posting and idea John / Kurt / Theo (and I am sure others). This will be interesting to read about this touchy subject and how you skirt around the negative/anti-positive aspects of it. Or see that fail miserably and hilariously….we will see!
Until reading this post & the subsequent comments I had never thought of the term douchebag in reference to fashion on its own. For me I’ve always associated it with personality and actions. You can be fantastically or oddly dressed & still be a douchebag. But I can count the number of times I’ve used the term on one hand, so maybe I should take notes from this discussion.