I think I may be getting old. I’ve only been out of high school for two years, and either I’ve always been careful with my words, or I’ve completely lost my touch with teenage vernacular. I don’t claim I don’t use mind numbing slang from time to time. I’ve caught myself saying “dude” or “like” or “whatever” or even “Dude, like, whatever!”. But sometimes, even I have my limit, because sitting on the bus, I inadvertently eavesdropped on two girls’ conversation, which went something like this:
Girl 1: So I blah blah blah blah, and blah blah blah, and that like made me soooo pissed off. So I’m like going to stop talking to him. Like, I can’t believe he’s such a loser! Like, he’s such a pimp!
Girl 2: Uh, well, he’s like a loser from what you tell me, but like why would you call him a pimp?
Girl 1: Because he’s a loser!
Girl 2: You know, calling him a pimp is like praising him, so you should like, not do that.
Girl 1: Oh, well, that is like so gay! But whatever. He’s like a loser anyway!
At that point, I scrambled to turn my ipod on to prevent my brain from rotting anymore.
So what I’m pissed about…
Since when is soliciting women for sex cool? Since when is abusing them and forcing them into the sex trade, taking all their money, and leaving them with pennies an honourable thing to do!!! I fucking hate MTV for promoting assholes who throw around the word “pimp” and its concept like it isn’t disgusting and criminal. And I hate the brain dead idiots who lap up every word of what MTV tells them is cool!! Plus, we live in Canada, you’re not supposed to throw around “gay” as an insult anymore!!! :mad:
Are you sure you’ve only been out of high shcool for two years? The whole “pimp” style thing has been going of for a while now. Last ten years at least. The Hughes Brothers American Pimp came out in 1999 and the first Snoop Dogg album was released in 1993…
I first found out pimp means “cool” when my 14 y/o nephew started using it last winter. I figure that’s about the age of mental developement that would consider it valid adjective.
But if that damn kid is still using it by next summer you all may read about me in your local papers.
If you have the picture in your cache the browser gets it rather than the tripod message. From the moment anyone follows the tip in my last post the link will work.
When I was 14, 8 long years ago, I remember having it explained as “being in control [ie, of all the women around you].”
Pop culture - eg, HBO’s “Pimps Up, Hoes Down” documentary, the pro-wrestling Godfather character (who was accompanied to the ring by an entourage of ‘hoes’ who had been picked from local strip joints), etc - doesn’t help much either.
It’s just a word, people. The word “pimp”, or “pimpin”, or “pimp ride”, Etc Etc ad infinitum has nothing to do with the act of sex or solicitation of sex or beating women who solicit people for sex and bring you back 90% of their money.
It has to do with the “street cred” pimps had and still have today. “Pimp”, for the most part, means “cool”. Pimp ride- something all customized with awfully ugly huge rims, tinting, etc. Someone who is pimpin, can be someone who is dressed to the 9’s, or just the opposite.
It has nothing to do with prostitution or women. Talk about uptight.
Well, I for one am not taking into account the actual meaning of the word. Just the absolute insipidness of referring to anything as “pimp”.
I put it right up there with 12 year old suburban kids referring to anything in anyway with the word “shizznit”.
Great, now I have to start blood pressure meds tomorrow just thinking of it. :mad:
Of course the word “pimp” has something to do with prostitution or women.
People may not have that meaning in mind when they use it sometimes, but that doesn’t mean that a “pimp” is no longer “One who finds customers for a prostitute; a procurer.”
I disagree. Over time, words in all languages come and go, their meanings change with time as well. This is one situation where a slang use of the word has come into play, a slang use that has absolutely nothing to do with the original meaning of the word.
I think it does, though. A guy who is “pimpin’” may not be actively entrenched in the demimonde of the sex trade, but I think the values are the same - money is more important than anything, even humanity and respect; women are decoration/commodities; and being an “outlaw” is cool. I spent some time in the sex trade, and when I turn on MTV or MuchMusic, it’s like deja vu.
The “slang” use of “Pimpin’” is just bringing the trappings of real street pimps into the mainstream. To say that it has “absolutely nothing to do” with the sex industry is to have horse-sized blinders on. Just IMHO, YMMV.