Pooh-pooh

Thursday, 2023-11-9, Word of the Day: Pooh-pooh

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WotD: Pooh-pooh 

Have you ever had your ideas or dreams dismissed or belittled by someone else?

It can be a frustrating and discouraging experience.

Unfortunately, this type of behaviour is common in our society.

People often pooh-pooh the ideas of others, intentionally or unintentionally, without realizing their impact.


When you pooh-pooh something, you say it is not practical or a foolish idea.


Pooh-poohing can be harmful because it can discourage people from pursuing their dreams or ideas.

It can make them feel like their opinions or thoughts are not valued, creating an environment where people are afraid to share their views.

This can be especially damaging in professional settings, where people may hesitate to speak up in meetings or brainstorming sessions because they fear being pooh-poohed by their colleagues.

Just as there are two sides to every coin, there are times when pooh-poohing can be beneficial.

For example, if someone has an idea that could potentially harm themselves or others, we should express caution and discourage them from pursuing it.

In this case, pooh-poohing can be a way of protecting someone from becoming their own worst enemy.

But how can we tell when pooh-poohing is appropriate and not?

The key is approaching each situation with an open mind and a willingness to listen.

If someone presents an idea or a dream, take the time to listen to them and understand their perspective.

Ask questions and try to see things from their point of view.

By doing this, you may discover that their idea has more merit than you initially thought.

It’s also important to be mindful of our own biases and assumptions.

Sometimes, we pooh-pooh ideas simply because they differ from our own or challenge our beliefs.

By being aware of these tendencies, we can work to overcome them and be more open to new ideas.

Just remember, when someone pooh-poohs your ideas or dreams, they may be trying to impose their limitations on you.

They can’t do it; therefore, they believe you can’t do it either.  


Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test

This post is understandable by someone with at least an 8th-grade education (age 13 – 14).  

On the Flesch-Kincaid reading-ease test, this post scores 63.  

The easier a passage is to read, the higher the score on a scale of 0 – 100. 



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