Should We Use the Term "Trash"?
Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 10:06 am
Using the term "trash" to describe popular culture questions and tournaments is a very common and familiar practice in quizbowl. I have recently heard a number of people claim that using the word "trash" in this way can be offensive and turn off new players--they argue (and they should feel free to post here, because I can't do their arguments justice) that new players who are told they do well at "trash" or got a "trash" buzz will be confused and offended, as well as argue that even older, more established players may not like the implication that their best categories or buzzes are in "trash," a word does that not have a very positive connotation in society.
I see these arguments, and I understand them. One thing that I think quizbowl should do is avoid using "trash" like we expect everyone will know what it means. In formal contexts, like tournament distributions or announcements, I would try and avoid using the word--as I think most tournaments do nowadays. Similarly, we shouldn't refer to someone's buzz as "trash" or a question as "trash" in contexts where there are players who have no idea what the word means, unless we're willing to explain the meaning of the term (just as we wouldn't use other confusing pieces of quizbowl lingo in similar contexts).
However, I personally find explaining the meaning incredibly easy--"Trash simply means questions on pop culture--it doesn't mean it's bad or anything, most quizbowlers love trash questions." After hearing such an explanation, I would hope most people would understand that they weren't being denigrated and would no longer take offense (obviously I am sure some do anyway). For this reason, I think an informal use of the term is okay and not particularly offensive. I think, personally, speaking as someone who has a degree in popular culture studies and greatly enjoys "trash" tournaments, that the phrase "trash tournament" is just so much more evocative and fun than "popular culture tournament." I can't really say why--part of the reason, though, is that I think all subcultures and groups have their own lingo and slang. A lot of times, in fact, subculture slang takes words that may have negative connotations in society or in "regular" language, and makes such words their own. I don't see anything different in quizbowl.
What do other people think? How should we use the term "trash," if at all?
I see these arguments, and I understand them. One thing that I think quizbowl should do is avoid using "trash" like we expect everyone will know what it means. In formal contexts, like tournament distributions or announcements, I would try and avoid using the word--as I think most tournaments do nowadays. Similarly, we shouldn't refer to someone's buzz as "trash" or a question as "trash" in contexts where there are players who have no idea what the word means, unless we're willing to explain the meaning of the term (just as we wouldn't use other confusing pieces of quizbowl lingo in similar contexts).
However, I personally find explaining the meaning incredibly easy--"Trash simply means questions on pop culture--it doesn't mean it's bad or anything, most quizbowlers love trash questions." After hearing such an explanation, I would hope most people would understand that they weren't being denigrated and would no longer take offense (obviously I am sure some do anyway). For this reason, I think an informal use of the term is okay and not particularly offensive. I think, personally, speaking as someone who has a degree in popular culture studies and greatly enjoys "trash" tournaments, that the phrase "trash tournament" is just so much more evocative and fun than "popular culture tournament." I can't really say why--part of the reason, though, is that I think all subcultures and groups have their own lingo and slang. A lot of times, in fact, subculture slang takes words that may have negative connotations in society or in "regular" language, and makes such words their own. I don't see anything different in quizbowl.
What do other people think? How should we use the term "trash," if at all?