Perhaps your homework is in the title.
When do words become a rant?
When do the words I say, move from speaking to ranting?
I opened the virtual dictionary, looking for the word.
It's one of my favourite things to do.
A little reminder, a reality check with myself
Do I know what this word means?
Has it changed?
Words change their meaning, and then meanings change words.
Some meanings are added over time.
Every quarter of every year extra words and meanings are added to the Oxford English Dictionary.
I did a toastmasters speech about it. My favourite word was ‘tundra’.
Do you know what the word ‘rant’ means?
It was interesting when I first looked.
The first example included, 'she's ranting.'
I can’t shift the feeling that is gendered.
It seems to matter who is doing the wordspeak.
The wordspeak - my new word for the speaking words.
The wordspeaker - the one speaking the words - seeds the word ranting.
It's a form of flag-planting.
Rant is often a silencing word.
'She's ranting again.'
'Oh, it's just another rant.'
'Yeh, always ranting.'
Silencing or disqualifying.
It seems so dismissive.
From what I understand, the critical differentiator about ranting is whether it is controlled.
A ranting is an uncontrollable explosion of feeling, thoughts and beliefs.
Anything can join in a rant.
It is a vomit of everything that is unsettling us and can bring up the poison as well as the good healthy bacteria.
I ask people sometimes if I can have a rant.
To get something off my chest.
I wonder where that phrase comes from too.
Get something off my chest - as if we are carrying something around if we don’t.
Often we are. That’s why, when people I care about ask, 'Are you up for some ranting?', I try and say yes if I can.
There is a difference between a rant and processed words.
There has been a consideration.
There is an awareness of the difference between a reaction and the response.
Rant lives in a world of reaction.
Rant rarely lives in a world of response, despite what many might think.
Now, that's not to say you can't respond with a rant.
Sometimes that's what is needed.
But let's be clear.
When I take the time to notice the difference between my reaction and my response.
When I take the time to craft words.
Sleep on them.
Formulate words with a meaning behind them.
Words with purpose.
They can often stop being ranty.
Can we consider the motivation behind the wordspeak?
Is the purpose of the wordspeak to harm?
To shame?
To mobilise?
To intimidate?
To defend?
To challenge?
To raise awareness?
To feel less alone?
To foster a connection?
The intention behind the wordspeak matters.
It matters a hell of a lot.
Is it a rant for a rant's sake?
Because that's so welcome if you get permission.
‘If, you get permission’.
Those four words are no afterthought.
If you get permission, ranting can be enliveningly healthy.
A call to action.
A consideration.
A request.
An invitation to dialogue.
These aspects often can make a difference.
It becomes less ranty.
There are always going to be exceptions.
When I see or hear somebody tagging my wordspeak or the wordspeak of another with the word ‘rant’, ‘ranted’, ‘ranting’, it says a lot about them.
The person dishing out the word rant.
Yes, it says a lot about the person who brings the word rant into the dialogue.
To me, you have revealed some of your cards.
I am also a card player.
I learnt from my wonderful uncle when I was a child.
An army man.
An army man who spent years of weekends playing cards.
Sergeant Major, it was called.
I love that game.
I learnt strategy through that game.
After dinner, we would have to clear the table, and the cards would come out.
I don't know how many years I played cards after dinner.
Given that I'm nearly half a century old and the memory is still here suggests there were many hands played.
So, cardplayer.
I have an assumption that you are a man.
You can be any gender and have the mind of a man.
I digress.
Ranting.
I love a good rant.
Oh, I do love a good rant.
I tend to know the difference between a rant and awareness building.
Real fostering connection wordspeak.
So, once again I ask you.
Do you know the meaning of rant?
What does rant mean to you?
Who are you apportioning this word to?
I want to know if you know.
I want to know who you tar with this brush.
I want to know if you are silencing or dismissing a valid point of view.