According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “wild” is defined in many different ways including something uncontrolled and full of energy, not raised or grown by humans, to like something very much, and a natural place secluded from civilization where animals and plants live/grow. Dictionary.com (Links to an external site.) defines “wild” as living in a state of nature, untamed or domesticated, uncultivated, barbarous and uninhabited. The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines wild as animals/plants, in its natural state-not changed by people, and one without any discipline or control. All of these dictionaries define wild using the “un“ suffix, therefore they are implying wild is something negative, dangerous, and risky. They say wild is uncontrolled, uncultivated, without discipline, and barbarous. Because of the way they define “wild” in such a negative light, it has no appeal for anyone to want to be wild.
I think wild can mean freedom and adventure. Yes, I believe that wild can be used to describe animals that are untamed and uninhibited, but I also believe wild can mean something that has not been explored fully yet. There is a since of possibility and question. During our class assignment, one comment I loved and thought summed up “wild” extremely well was that “wild is anything which is not recognized by the society of its time.” Wild is something, by nature, that scares and intimidates people due to its unpredictability, but wild should be accepted and appreciated. If people were not wild, where would America be as a country? You have to be bold, different, and wild for true change and inventions.
I agree with your statement that wild can mean more than just its literal definition of untamed or uninhibited animals. I liked how you point out that definitions of “wild” often include the prefix “un” which seems to show that the word “wild” tends to harbor definitions that deviate from the norm. I also definitely agree with the definition of wild as “anything which is not recognized by the society of its time” as that was the definition I gave myself!
I feel the same way about the term “wild.” I think that people focus too heavily on the negative aspects of the wild and fail to realize that it can be positive too. I am also interested in the question you pose at the end. Is being “wild” a characteristic of the United States? Could you elaborate on that further?
I also agree with the notion that “wildness” can lead to innovation and change. The “wild” is a term that describes unconventionality and differing from the norm. Becuase it differs from the norm, the “wild” allows for something new to be made.