By: Steve Thames, Co-editor of the Blunt (1976)
Editor’s note: Per the request of the contributor, this article was updated to reflect a more final version than what ran in print and online. As this piece was a part of the collection of articles gathered by The Blunt writers, The Point decided to update the article to reflect what the author intended to publish.
- “Bluntees” is too passive sounding—like “parolees.” We were a lot of things; passive wasn’t one of them!
- “Bluntniks” sounds cooler. Duh.
- Speaking of sounding cool, people might even think we’re connected with Stevie Nicks.
- “Bluntniks” hearkens back to the “beatniks” — the ‘50s social movement known for its non-conformity to social norms, expressed through all forms of art and literature.
- And let’s face it, we are a heck of a lot closer in age to the ‘50s than we are to 2024!
- “Bluntnik” practically rhymes with “Sputnik,” like us, something that really did its best work while in outer space. (If you don’t know what Sputnik is, ask your world civilization professor; better yet, just get a refund from your world civilization professor.)
- “Bluntnik” just sounds more RUSSIAN. You can’t get more unpopular than that at PLNU these days. Well, unless you’re a gay Russian.
- The name “Bluntees” was never even put to a vote (kind of like those old dorm rules from the ‘70s), which, now that I think about it, is very Russian.
- “Wait. Can we revisit the name, ‘parolees?’ I’m starting to like the sound of that. Plus that resonates better with my record.” — Anonymous Bluntnik
- Shut it! No!! That’s exactly the most compelling reason: “Bluntniks” puts to rest forever all our other nicknames — bluntos, bluntards, etc. — and best of all retains the indispensable “BLUNT” title, which was only partly selected because it was the antonym of The POINT…
