I agree that the word has a negative connotation for sure. It probably starts when one is a child getting told not to do this or that by parents. You know, don't colour outside the lines and so on. It becomes so ingrained in a kid and then they go to school and here the same thing. Wear your uniform, stand in line, talk when you're spoken to, write like this. One gets to work and...Same thing*.
So yes, it's the word, but there's other factors as well I think.
Also, people have the choice as adults to see the word for what it is and make a change. Most don't.