I AM A SENSITIVE SOUL. I am also a wordsmith. Combine the two and you get someone who responds with sensitivity to words. That’s me. Use inappropriate words in certain contexts and my emotions flare.
For example, I don’t like the words crazy, insane and nuts when applied in general to how someone is acting. If you’re talking about actual nuts, like peanuts, walnuts or almonds, nuts is appropriate. Apply it to human behavior and you have overstepped the boundaries of fitting word usage in my opinion.
You can be crazy with joy, meaning excessively joyful. I’m good with that. But if someone terms another person crazy, I recognize that for what it is, a hurtful label. Ditto for insane.
For anyone with a mental illness, especially, and for others, words like crazy and nuts sound offensive. I can’t think of any other illness with such associated disrespectful words that are loosely used in everyday life.
And then there’s the intentional use of hurtful words. A southern Minnesota craft brewery, whose name and location I choose not to share here (but which I feel needs some education by the National Alliance on Mental Illness), claims “Crazy Good Beer” with names that are spin-offs of mental illnesses. Hopzophrenia IPA. Catatonic Cream Ale. Manic Black Lager. Clever marketing or humorous, you might say. Me? Nope. This sensitive soul finds these names degrading/mean/offensive/insensitive to anyone diagnosed with and managing a mental illness.
What if, for example, the beers were spin-offs tied to cancer? Chemo Juice. Black Lung Lager. Radiated Raspberry Sour. And so on. I expect the response would be loud, and not in a good way. But it’s alright to name beers after schizophrenia, depression, bi-polar…? Nope. Not OK.
I’m not picking on this small town brewery. I expect these are fine, hardworking folks dedicated to the craft of brewing beer. Rather, it’s one public example of inappropriate word usage and the importance of recognizing the power of words.
Words matter, sensitive wordsmith or not.
THOUGHTS? Any words that spark a negative reaction in you?
© Copyright 2023 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
That’s so thoughtless and unkind.
Yes, I gotta wonder sometimes what people are thinking.
Interesting choice of names for sure. I catch myself saying words that may be offensive at times and rethink word choices. A lot of things I used to say years ago are inappropriate after realizing the origin of the phrase or what it really means. Always learning and adjusting!
That’s an excellent point. What we once said may no longer be appropriate. Yes, always learning and adjusting. I appreciate your perspective on this.
Ugh! Hopefully the sales on these are low and customers will express thoughts on it also!
I don’t know about sales. But the whole identity of this brewery is themed around mental illnesses, and not in a good way. I won’t even tell you what their logo is. I first saw it on the back of a jacket worn by a customer at another brewery. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I was outraged, actually.
I give you my full support on this effort to make positive change! You are right, no one would ever consider using cancer labels or kidney or liver conditions as beer brands, there would be open outrage!
We all need to be word aware. Those beer names make me fume every time I think of them.
I can understand!
I don’t hear it anymore as I’m not teaching elementary school but hearing children being mean to each other, using hurtful words, is a bad memory. I’m not going to list them but unfortunately there’s a long list.
I well remember being on the receiving end of hurtful words while in elementary school, but especially junior high. It was difficult to see two of my own children go through the same, and now my granddaughter. I had hoped less of this meanness existed today.
About seven years ago a friend of mine and I learned to knit socks two at a time. We used a recommended yarn from our pattern. We both knit the same colorway for striped socks. It was labeled “OCD” as the stripes would match perfectly if you followed the instructions. (My friend says she has OCD) but I notice that the company no longer uses that colorway name so someone must have alerted them it was inappropriate.
Good for that company to recognize that this yarn name was inappropriate.
Uff. Those names are insensitive for sure. What are they thinking?
Yeah, I don’t know either. What were they thinking?