We all like to say it. It’s trendy, it’s funny, and it’s a staple in the vocabulary of a modern-day college student. In fact, it’s virtually the only adjective in the English language that can be used to describe that girl who seems to live on pumpkin spice lattes, or the one that has an endless supply of monogrammed accessories. “She’s just so basic.”
Slang has redefined the word “basic” as a descriptor for a girl who is pitifully unremarkable, usually due to her obvious behavior or her commonplace taste in material items. We hear the word whispered judgmentally at Starbucks, we see it commented jokingly on Instagram, and even our parents will sometimes use it in an attempt to be up-to-date It’s no secret that it has a negative meaning, particularly because it is often paired with its alliterative complement: bitch.
“Basic” takes a deep, insulting dig at girls who enjoy popular items, activities, and places. It implies that those of us who have an affinity for wearing Uggs with Lululemons are less special than, and thus inferior to, the rest of the world. As college-aged females, being called predictable is belittling because we have a natural inclination to express ourselves as special and unique individuals. However, we should not be ashamed of liking popular items just because they are popular. Uggs really are warm; some would even argue that they are essential when the temperature drops to single digits. We need to take a step back and realize that popular items exist in order to appeal to a large crowd, and if we happen to be in this crowd, we can still be the special snowflakes that are our hearts truly desire.
On a different note, the notion of basic discreetly warrants misogyny. First, there is no male equivalent to the word (“basic bro” never quite caught on). If we are going to criticize women for being ordinary by going so far as to dedicate an entire word to the concept, then why aren’t we doing this for men, as well? This singles out the female population in an unnecessary way. On top of this, being basic is an entirely superficial idea; we can appear as basic but it is impossible to have a basic charisma or intellect. The term therefore implies that women should be evaluated only on the surface.
The worst part about the word “basic” is that when we say it, it’s with a light-hearted intent and usually not meant to be insulting. We say it too often because we fail to think about its implications of misogyny or its long-term effects on the insecurity of our generation. Unfortunately, no one wants to be called basic, and the term therefore causes unnecessary shame.
As it turns out, any one person can be just as creative, original, and inspired as the next—even if their favorite artist is Taylor Swift and their Instagram consists mainly of food photos edited on Afterlight. Liking so-called “normal” things should not define a person as an individual, and no one should ever feel self-conscious about ordering a pumpkin spice latte in public. We need to cut “basic” from our vocabularies; using the word encourages superficiality and sexism, and causes us to have an unnecessary fear of losing our originality. There are plenty of better adjectives out there anyway. Plus, once we stop saying it, we can all finally enjoy our PSLs in peace.