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Traditional Catholic Faith => Catholic Living in the Modern World => Topic started by: Matthew on June 10, 2019, 06:14:03 PM

Title: Your Name influences who you are
Post by: Matthew on June 10, 2019, 06:14:03 PM
It's like a strong, constant pull to live up to a certain expectation. It's as if your parents and society (everyone you meet) expects you to have a certain trait -- and eventually the pressure becomes too much, and for whatever reason you end up giving it to them! Kind of like when parents continually tell their child he's a loser, he ends up living up to their expectations.

Peer pressure is every bit as powerful as parental pressure -- often times more so! And truth is stranger than fiction.

I've seen this many times. But to cite a current example:

The Democratic candidate for president, Peter Buttigieg, is ɧoɱosɛҳųαƖ.

Isn't it appropriate that a sodomite's last name starts with BUTT? And his first name is "Peter" which is slang for a male organ.

If I had written a novel, and put in a ɧoɱosɛҳųαƖ character named "Peter Buttigieg", critics would have rightfully docked my total score for being "unrealistic" or "amateur". My writing skill would have been maligned. Others would chuckle and say, "I see what you did there. LOL"

But this is reality, so it's not open for debate how "realistic" it is!

I also know of a man named Robert A. Mann ("Rob A. Mann") who wrote in to TAN Books & Publishers under the free books for prisoners apostolate. I don't know if he was in prison for robbery or not...

This is not the first time I've seen something like this. It's strange, because people can't choose their first OR last name. But often times one's name haunts and guides an individual into a certain line of work, personality trait, etc.

Psychologists say that there is nothing sweeter to one's ears than the sound of one's own name. I'm sure people with the last name Clinton, or the first name Hillary, are going to be more disposed, on average, towards Hillary Clinton than the average person who doesn't share one of her names.

Obviously we all have free will, and can consciously override ANY innate psychological pull or tendency. But we're talking about psychological pulls and tendencies here. They are very real, and if not overridden by an act of our Free Will, do indeed nudge us in a certain direction. Just like our temperament, upbringing, ethnic background, etc.

P.S. If my last name were gαye, fαɢɢօtt, Butt, Dung, Hitler, Worm, Weak, or any other one-word English noun that would cause my sons trouble if I sent them to public school, I would change my last name for the love of my family. Who deserves to be stuck with a horrible family name like that? I don't know how such surnames got created or assigned in the first place, but if it were me, I'd have it changed to ANYTHING else. I wouldn't put up with such a raw deal for myself, much less my family and progeny!

A fortiori I would refrain from giving my children horrible first names, or the worst possible first name to go with my last name. You don't want your child's full name to sound like a Bart Simpson prank on Moe the bartender. For example, if my last name were Butt, I could at least "grow up" and refrain from naming my son Richard. But some people do the exact opposite and go right for the forbidden fruit, i.e. the one first name they should avoid: Hugh Jass, Crystal Paine, Richard Dick, Harold Dick, Donald Duck, Rob A. Mann, Phil A. Buster, Willie Dixon, Royal Jєωel, Gunnar Gunn, Duke Wellington, Connor O'Connor, Penny Doller, etc. Something that would be good for a thirty second chuckle when you're 12, but affects a human being for life!

The phrase, "What were they smoking?" comes to mind.

There are many other last names which invite abuse: Hard, Head, Foote, and any other surname which is basically an English noun. Some are more problematic than others. When you factor in the modern penchant for giving surname-esque first names, it gets even more interesting: Hunter Butt, Hunter Dung, Reagan Busch, etc. Some first names really invite abuse, such as Clay, Rob, Dick, etc.
Title: Re: Your Name influences who you are
Post by: Miseremini on June 10, 2019, 07:08:59 PM
Years ago I knew a girl whose first name was Crystal.  Her last name was Leer.  And you guessed it, her middle name was Shanda.
That's not even funny;  it's terribly sad to do that to anyone.
Title: Re: Your Name influences who you are
Post by: Seraphina on June 10, 2019, 07:45:22 PM
One's name is not destiny.  I know a woman named Hillary who switched to using her middle name, Therese, in the middle of the Clinton's second term.  Others assumed she was a flakey liberal.  I believe it's illegal in Germany to name a child Adolf.  Back in the 1990s, if I'm not mistaken, a couple in the US was prohibited from legally calling their son Adolf Hitler and their daughter, Arian Nation.  
People who give their children bizarre or uncomplimentary names have a desire to draw undue attention to themselves.  Wasn't there a rock musician who named his kids Moon Unit and Dweezle?  Doesn't Michael Jackson have a son named Blanket?  
When we were naughty kids in elementary school, many textbooks had a chart inside the front cover to write one's name, grade, and condition of book.  Our school district didn't use the charts, but we filled them in, nonetheless, with silly names like Jim Nasium, Polly Esther, Terry Cloth, Justin Case.....also, obscene names which shall go unmentioned.
During my college years, I worked in the university library, a place where one encountered many names.  A few gems I remember are April-Mae Joon, Vanilla Whine, Coco Puff, Autumn Leeves, Conan Brabarrian.  (There was a movie called Conan, the Barbarian.)  What were the parents of these people thinking?  
My sister's friend worked in a Harlem daycare center where she encountered two bizarre girl's names.  La-a, and ABCDE, pronounced, La Dash ah, and Ab si dee.  Go figure!
My mother, while working as a billing agent for the local electric company, found a number of odd monikers which she gave to our various pets.  Hilda and Peter Puss, Birdie Boyd, Bunny Elsabaugh, and Ima Hohr.  The latter was the name of my parent's widowed landlady when they lived in their newlywed apartment in Philadelphia.  She must have really loved her husband to take a name like that.  Of course, it may not have had the same connotation way back when!  
In New York we have a pastor/political activist named Calvin Butts.  And who will ever forget the politician who has done a great job living up to his name, Anthony Weiner!  
Who hasn't heard of Supreme Court Justice, Felix Frankfurter?  I know nothing about him except he served in the 1930s and 40s, and his name!
I'm just thankful for wise parents who chose to call us for saints with pleasant sounding names.  
And if my name would ever take on a bad meaning as a result of cultural hijacking, I'd definitely change it!  What about names like Dick or gαye?  They were once perfectly acceptable not so long ago.  Now?  It's too bad, really!  After all, I cut my reading teeth on the series, Sally, Dick, and Jane!  


Title: Re: Your Name influences who you are
Post by: JezusDeKoning on June 10, 2019, 09:18:45 PM
It's like a strong, constant pull to live up to a certain expectation. It's as if your parents and society (everyone you meet) expects you to have a certain trait -- and eventually the pressure becomes too much, and for whatever reason you end up giving it to them! Kind of like when parents continually tell their child he's a loser, he ends up living up to their expectations.

Peer pressure is every bit as powerful as parental pressure -- often times more so! And truth is stranger than fiction.

I've seen this many times. But to cite a current example:

The Democratic candidate for president, Peter Buttigieg, is ɧoɱosɛҳųαƖ.

Isn't it appropriate that a sodomite's last name starts with BUTT? And his first name is "Peter" which is slang for a male organ.
No, it's a very, very common Maltese surname and it means 'chicken farmer' or something. You'd likely, if you were in Malta, see many a "Fr. Buttigieg".
Title: Re: Your Name influences who you are
Post by: jvk on June 12, 2019, 06:33:00 AM
I know a lady who's an ER doctor, and she treated a black lady with twins.  The names on the charts were "Orange Jello" and "Lemon Jello".  Apparently the mom flipped when the doctor greeted them that way.  "It's O-rangelo" and Le-Mongelo!" she screamed.  (Pronunciation to rhyme with Michealangelo)
Title: Re: Your Name influences who you are
Post by: Croixalist on June 12, 2019, 08:04:47 AM
How is "Evel" an actual first name? Some combos ought to be given a free name change pass with the government. Crystal Metheny is one of my favorites. I'm always willing to trade up though. Anyone know a trad named Maude Ernest?

Edit: Well know I have absolute proof we have had Maude Ernests around before the 20th century:

https://www.ancestry.com/1940-census/usa/Pennsylvania/Maude-Ernest_zw34t (https://www.ancestry.com/1940-census/usa/Pennsylvania/Maude-Ernest_zw34t)

From what I can tell they were very open about it.
Title: Re: Your Name influences who you are
Post by: Matthew on June 12, 2019, 08:05:38 AM
No, it's a very, very common Maltese surname and it means 'chicken farmer' or something. You'd likely, if you were in Malta, see many a "Fr. Buttigieg".
But this is America. Only English-speaking biases and sensibilities apply here.
Title: Re: Your Name influences who you are
Post by: Ladislaus on June 12, 2019, 12:18:42 PM
So, are you saying that his name influenced Pete Buttigieg to become gαy?

I'm glad he hasn't changed it, since it now servers as a reminder of who he is.
Title: Re: Your Name influences who you are
Post by: Ladislaus on June 12, 2019, 12:33:18 PM
I know a lady who's an ER doctor, and she treated a black lady with twins.  The names on the charts were "Orange Jello" and "Lemon Jello".  Apparently the mom flipped when the doctor greeted them that way.  "It's O-rangelo" and Le-Mongelo!" she screamed.  (Pronunciation to rhyme with Michealangelo)

That's an Urban Legend.
Title: Re: Your Name influences who you are
Post by: Quo vadis Domine on June 12, 2019, 01:08:01 PM
So, are you saying that his name influenced Pete Buttigieg to become gαy?

I'm glad he hasn't changed it, since it now servers as a reminder of who he is.
He was probably teased a lot about it and maybe it did some damage, but I don’t buy that it was a huge influence. He is one demented individual, however.