Is Twerk in My Dictionary?

...whatsoever things are pure...

think on these things.

Philippians 4:8
 

Every year new words are added to the English dictionary - both online and print varieties, as our culture and language continues to fluidly change.  Examples of words or terms already added in 2013 include:

phablet, digital detox, geek chic, cake pops, hyperemesis, parasomnia, screencap, tweetable, cruft, dumbphone, appletini, Olympic flame, and touchless.

In the realms of cultural and social change, however, the newest buzz word is "Twerking."  When I hit the Web to research the meaning of "twerk," I discovered that this word is already in the Oxford Online Dictionary with the following definition:  "...to dance to popular music in a sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movements and a low, squatting stance."  

Twerking was actually introduced into the hip-hop scene back in the 1990's in New Orleans.  Oxford, who entered the word into their dictionary this year, claims that the term has been around for twenty years, but it's sudden emergence into the current social culture was brought about by the actress Miley Cyrus, who "twerked" during a solo performance by Robin Thicke at the MTV Video Music Awards on August 25, 2013.

One does not have to watch more than a second or two of the "performance" to realize that "twerking" is a far dirtier dancing than anything Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze ever thought of.  Dressed in a nude-colored costume that resembled see-through underwear, Ms. Cyrus offered herself as a sexual object to the singer, the audience, and the television viewer.  No Hannah Montana here.  No, this was a 20-year-old courtesan displaying her wares, complete with a sex toy to aid the display.

Ms. Cyrus has said that she danced that way 1) because "that's just me," 2) because "that's what you're looking for, (the audience)" and 3) because she and Robin Thicke wanted to "make history."

The controversy generated by her act certainly provided them with the history they were looking for.  If her twerking truly is an indicator of her character, then I feel very sorry for her indeed.  I certainly hope there are no longer parents out there who hold her up as any kind of a role model for their daughters.