Bashing is a harsh, gratuitous, predjudicial attack on a person, group or subject. Literally, bashing is a term meaning to hit or, colloquially, to assault but when it is used as a suffix, or in conjunction with a noun indicating the subject being attacked, it is normally used to imply a sense of uncompromising vehemence and bigotry about the assailant.
The term applies to two different types of attack: physical assault and verbal or critical assault. In the latter case, bashing is used metaphorically to indicate an attack on a subject that is of similar aggressiveness and motivation to the physical case.
Topics which attract bashing tend to be personally sensitive topics for the bashers, the victims or both. They also tend to be highly partisan issues. Common areas include religion, nationality, sexuality, politics and topics of critical appraisal within fandom.
Definition
The non-pejorative definition of bashing is the act of striking an object with physical blows. Colloquially, it normally refers
to a physical assault. When the term is used in conjunction with a topic or with an implied topic, it relates to a class of
attacks which share common motivations and levels of intent, taking on a pejorative meaning.
Physical bashing is differentiated from regular assault because it is a motivated assault. Societally, no level of physical assault is normally considered morally acceptable therefore the motivated nature implies that the perpetrators are unaware of societal norms or are sufficiently bigotted and predjudiced to believe that the motivation justifies the actions. This aspect of the definition of bashing overlaps with that of hate crime and other incidents of motivated assault.
In non-physical bashing, the term is used to imply that a verbal or critical attack is similarly unacceptable and similarly predjudicial. Use of the term in this manner is an abusive ad hominem action, used to denounce the attack and admonish the attackers by comparing them to perpetrators of physical bashing.
Motivating Factors
The underlying motivations for bashers tend to be the same, irrespective of the target subject. Karen Franklin in her paper "Psychosocial motivations of hate crimes perpetrators" specifically identifies the following:
- socially instilled predjudice or partisan conflict
- the perception that the bashing subject is in some way contrary to, or in offense to, an underlying ideology
- group or peer influence
Subjects
Gay Bashing
One of the more common uses of the term bashing is to describe assault or vilification against people perceived to be homosexual. By looking at the societal prevalence of homophobia, religious objections to homosexuality and the incidence of group assault in cases of gay bashing, it can be seen how the set of motivations applies to this topic.
Political Bashing
The use of the term within this context is most common in editorial or personal commentary. Common terms within this area include "Republican Bashing", "Democrat Bashing", "Clinton Bashing" and "Bush Bashing". These terms are used to imply that the criticism of these groups or individuals is excessive, too frequent, uncompromising or inappropriate given their status.
Since politics is inherently partisan, the term bashing is frequently used to cast negative aspersions on critics for political gain.
Bashing within fandom
Fans of different artistic works often accuse critics, who may be other fans, of bashing the subject or individuals upon which
the fandom is centered. A common example of this on the
In this case, again the motivations include partisan conflict (for or against an aspect of an artistic work), an offense to an underlying ideology (nostalgic attachment to, or immersion in, an artistic genre) and the group influence of other fans and discussion forums.
There is also character bashing, which happens when a part of the fandom openly, loudly and rudely (as in, emitting such thoughts in a way that is annoying to others and/or belittling the fans of such character, instead of making reasonable cases for their dislike) criticises one or more characters in an artistic work, or even real people from media industry. Usual reasons given for this conduct are:
- breaking up a well-loved couple, whether it's canon or fanon;
- being more or less a canon Mary Sue or Gary Stu;
- following some characters stereotypes (this specially goes for girly girl characters);
- being a female character in a mostly male cast or being a male character in a mostly female cast;
- said character's role and actions in the story;
- etc.
Some characters and or real people who are usual victims of this kind of bashing are:
- Relena Darlian, Dorothy Catalonia and Quatre Raberba Winner (Gundam Wing);
- Hikaru Hiyama (Kimagure Orange Road);
- Sakuno Ryuzaki, Tomoka Osakada, Renji Yanagi and Ryoma Echizen (The Prince of Tennis);
- Shinichi Namura/Natchan and Miki Koishikawa (Marmalade Boy);
- Shinji Ikari, Kaworu Nagisa and Asuka Langley Soryu (Neon Genesis Evangelion);
- Meer Campbell, Cagalli Yula Athha,
Meyrin Hawke, Lacus Clyne and Shinn Asuka (
Gundam SEED and its sequel Gundam SEED Destiny) - Aeris Gainsborough and Tifa Lockhart (Final Fantasy VII);
- Rinoa Heartilly (Final Fantasy VIII);
- Daisuke Motomiya/Davis, Mimi Tachikawa, Sora Takenouchi, Juri Katou, Ryo Akiyama and J. P. Shibayama (Digimon)
- Miaka Yuki and Yui Hongo (Fushigi Yūgi)
- Molly, Ronald Bilius 'Ron' and Ginevra Molly 'Ginny' Weasley, as well as James Potter and Nymphadora Tonks (Harry Potter);
- Tohru Honda, Yuki Sohma, Machi Kuragi, Isuzu "Rin" Sohma and Akito Sohma (Fruits Basket);
- Kazuma Kuwabara, Lady Mukuro and Keiko Yukimura (Yuu Yuu Hakusho);
- Anzu Mazaki/Téa Gardner (Yu-Gi-Oh!);
- Jakotsu, Byakuya, Kagome Higurashi and Kikyou (Inuyasha);
- Orihime Inoue, Shinji Hirako, Nell Tu and Momo Hinamori (Bleach);
- Sakura Haruno, Karin and Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto);
- Chibi-Usa and Mamoru Chiba/Tuxedo Kamen (Sailor Moon);
- Lynn Minmay (Robotech)
- Allison Cameron and Lisa Cuddy (House MD);
- Li Meiling and Li Shaoran (Cardcaptor Sakura);
- Sakura Kinomoto (both in Cardcaptor Sakura and Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle);
- Ashura-Ou (Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle);
- Kotori Monou and Kamui Shirou (X)
- Lana Lang (Smallville);
- Susanna Marlowe (Candy Candy);
- Ray Kowalski (Due South);
- Ash Ketchum, Misty, May and Tracey Sketchit (Pokemon);
- Ninian the Dancer, Serra the Cleric and Lord Eliwood of Pherae from Fire Emblem;
- etc.
Gushing and pejorative identification of bashing
In cases of non-physical bashing, the term is normally used with the intention of having a pejorative effect on the identified bashers by comparing them to perpetrators of criminal assaults. Sometimes this label is applied to criticisms that are not particularly vehement nor even inappropriate. In these cases, the term can be seen to be applied purely for partisan benefit.
Within fan contexts, the opposing standpoint to a basher is a gusher. The actions of those who take an actively and effusively defensive stance on topics which could arguably draw bashing are termed gushing. In essence, gushing is any stance on a topic which is implied to be as predjudicial, uncompromising and continual as a bashing but which is in support of the topic. The term is far less frequently used than bashing and is difficult to differentiate from someone who is merely an enthusiastic supporter. The term is normally applied either in retaliation against accusations of bashing or to pejoratively decry ardent supporters of a topic.
References
- Emery, K; Ohanian, S. "Why is corporate America bashing our public schools?", Portsmouth NH, Heinemann, (2004).
- Franklin, Karen. “Psychosocial motivations of hate crimes perpetrators: Implications for educational intervention.” Invited presentation at hate crimes panel, American Psychological Association convention, Aug. 1998.
- Goodsell, Charles T. "Bureaucratic Bashing". In Jay M. Shafritz (ed.), Defining Public Administration. Boulder, CO: Westview, pp. 128-31. (2000)
- Kantor, Martin. "Homophobia: Description, Development, and Dynamics of Gay Bashing", Praeger Publishers (1998).
- Lee, Mordecai. "Bureaucrat Bashing in the Galactic Senate: George Lucas and Public Administration". Public Voices 4 (2): 23-30. (2000)
- Price, Deb. "Hostility to gays planted early". The Denver Post, Page B-7, October 16, 1998.
- Swanson, Jean. "Poor Bashing. The Politics of Exclusion." Toronto: Between the Lines. 2001.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
