Having been witness to a little mudslinging this evening via the omnipresent social media platform Facebook, I got to thinking about different types of insults, both stupid and awe-inspiring, as well as the just plain lame. Hey, it doesn’t take much to amuse me or, apparently, inspire me to have well-thought-out lectures in my head.
The term “chicken” is an oft-used slang word employed against someone when they’re afraid or you’re trying to disparage them (with as little effort as possible); it’s meant to imply they’re cowardly. This derogatory term has been around since forever it seems, showing up in works from the 1600s and even used by Dickens in his writings. I’ve never understood the insult myself.
My grandmother had chickens…she kept loads of the little buggers in a big coop with a yard. Let me tell you, they are anything but cowardly. Just ask any lizard that happens to make its way into their domain. Oh wait, you can’t. Because they never make it back out again. A rooster may not always win a battle with a fox or a weasel, but I don’t think you’d see the feathered flock defender backing down nonetheless. Hens are no less brave…some are meaner than others, but trust me, none have an issue with drawing blood. Chickens, as a general rule, are fierce. Take it from me, and don’t ask how I know this, but those things will hunt you down, and peck your eyes out. Cowards. Yeah, right. We should all be so many chickens.
Musings from a Tangled Mind 
We have lost our ability to insult with any creativity and style. Everything has been homogenized. For those who use “chicken!” as a taunt, 99% of them have never been closer to a live chicken than the organic or kosher counter at their local supermarket. Chickens are the descendants of T.Rex and they haven’t forgotten. (Thus their hatred of lizards, I believe.)
I’m just going to keep my Freds away from your chickens.
Clever insults have definitely fallen by the wayside. It’s sad really.
Never John Cleese around when you need him! Or George Carlin. Or Robin Williams. (I’ll stop now, I think I just depressed myself.)
I like my chickens fried to a golden brown. with some mashed potatoes and gravy and biscuits with butter and honey,
😀
How popular Foghorn Leghorn was with chickens? Just wonderin’. 😀
It’s always a case of Reality vs. Stereotype isn’t it?
No chickens are not afraid, but they are indeed stupid – perhaps fearless to the point of stupidity? Pouring rain and ours huddle UNDER their coop where the water collects and they can drown, rather than hopping up into the warm DRY shelter just above their heads.
😂 I will never think of chickens in the same way again… I’m imagining a bunch of ninja chickens now 😂