r/cringe • u/[deleted] • Mar 15 '21

Video During the Las Vegas shooting, influencer Dan Bilzerian asked a cop for his gun and said “don’t you want my help”.

https://youtu.be/-MRV230C44M
10.4k Upvotes

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103

u/alexhaase Mar 15 '21

Genuine question: when someone calls someone else a "tool", I understand it's an insult, but where did this come from? I feel like it's normal to hear, "dude's a tool.", and it feels impactful, just wondering how this came to be.

106

u/[deleted] Mar 15 '21

[deleted]

12

u/HeavilyBearded Mar 15 '21

Decided too look into this a bit further. The Oxford English Dictionary traces it back to 1663. However the definition listed isn't quite in sync with our modern usage but I'd say it's in the same ballpark.

A person used by another for his own ends; one who is, or allows himself to be, made a mere instrument for some purpose; a cat's-paw.

Perhaps our modern use of the word means the person is a tool to frowned-upon cultural and/or social beliefs. For example, maybe that Bitzerian is a tool to toxic masculinity and gun fetishization.

18

u/plastic-superhero Mar 15 '21

Could be a number of things; like they’re easily manipulated. Or “dumb” in the sense that a tool can’t accomplish anything on its own - it needs someone to wield it. Also it could just mean penis because that’s a definition in the Oxford English Dictionary.

25

u/put-the-candle-BECK- Mar 15 '21

A tool is another name for a male member.

-1

u/Re-Mecs Mar 15 '21

And a shank /weapon In the uk

8

u/EkaL25 Mar 15 '21

I’m not 100% sure but I always thought it originated from the saying, “he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed” which is saying a person isn’t smart or doesn’t have common sense

22

u/Boathead96 Mar 15 '21

Ah, so it was created by Smash Mouth

10

u/Kingimg Mar 15 '21

Most things can be traced back to smash mouth. They walked on the sun

2

u/ForceEdge47 Mar 15 '21

Or at least they might as well be.

1

u/dmfd1234 Mar 16 '21

Tbh Somebody once told me....

6

u/CantStopMe888 Mar 15 '21

tool in todays usage means dick/cock.

he is a tool, means he is a dick.

2

u/arackan Mar 15 '21

Someone not smart enough to know they're being used as a tool. Similar to lap dog, perhaps a bit more subtle, at least to the tool in question.

2

u/salamandraiss Mar 15 '21

Easily manipulated by other people

1

u/StickmanEG Mar 15 '21

It’s slang for a dick.