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Take the Pledge - Never say "Retard" Again.

HungryJoeHungryJoe
edited September 2010 in Flamewars
Is this reasonable?

Why do certain words have this sort of power? Can that power be transferred to other words? Suppose, for instance, everyone did stop saying "retard". Suppose further, that everyone adopted the word "dunsel" to mean what "retard" once meant (random TOS reference). How long would it be before people started being offended by use of the word "dunsel"?

Isn't it time for people to just stop being so easily offended? Don't we have other things to worry about? I mean, this "Pledge not to say 'Retard'" business is promulgated by and taking up the time of a government agency.

There's a check space on the link to tell them that you won't take the pledge. So, will you take the pledge or tell these politically correct retards to take a hike?
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Comments

  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    Isn't it time for people to just stop being so easily offended?
    Yes
    Will you take the pledge or tell these politically correct retards to take a hike?
    Yes.
  • AndrewAndrew
    Language is a finicky thing. The more you fight against it, the harder it is to retard the growth of certain usages of words and memes. It's almost as if the very effort of fighting the good fight against language trends retards the progress of the movement itself, regardless of the intentions themselves.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    edited September 2010
    image
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • HungryJoeHungryJoe
    Language is a finicky thing. The more you fight against it, the harder it is to retard the growth of certain usages of words and memes. It's almost as if the very effort of fighting the good fight against language trends retards the progress of the movement itself, regardless of the intentions themselves.
    This characteristic of language is wicked retarded.

    What does this mean for Mohammad?
  • AprecheApreche
    What does this mean for Mohammad?
    Mohammad is retarded.
  • KieyKiey
    Why do certain words have this sort of power? Can that power be transferred to other words? Suppose, for instance, everyone did stop saying "retard". Suppose further, that everyone adopted the word "dunsel" to mean what "retard" once meant (randomTOSreference). How long would it be before people started being offended by use of the word "dunsel"?
    Penn talked about this on a recent Penn Point, saying that "retard" was used in place of the word "idiot" as a way for it to sound nicer. Maybe we should all just go back to using "idiot" until it becomes the i-word, then we can go back to "retard," ad infinitum.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    edited September 2010
    @Scott: Like the Dalai Lama?
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • AprecheApreche
    @Scott:Like the Dalai Lama?
    WTF?
  • CremlianCremlian
    I hate this crap. People will just change the word they use like how BSG got away with saying FRAK instead of fuck. Anytime you substitute a word for something else with the same meaning you are STILL saying the same thing. Fraking Cylons is still the same as Fucking cylons....
  • zehaevazehaeva
    We'll just use some other word to mean retard/idiot. Calling the person a "Special Needs Child" is stupid. It's not being sensitive, you're still communicating to someone else that this kid doesn't have the same mental faculties that (some of) the rest of us posses. Using larger words (or more words) to get the same point across in the hopes that the child won't understand you is lame.

    It's just like all those TV shows that use a different word to say Fuck. Why bother? I know when Boomer yells "Frak!" she (/sob) means Fuck.

    Changing the word does not change the implied meaning nor the intent with which the word was said.

    Belgium Bitches, Belgium.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    edited September 2010
    Oh Smeg.

    No matter what we call it, people attach negative connotations to the thing itself, not just the word.
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • HungryJoeHungryJoe
    edited September 2010
    We'll just use some other word to mean retard/idiot. Calling the person a "Special Needs Child" is stupid.
    In another twenty years or so (maybe less), people will be horribly offended if you say "special needs".

    In the current climate, "Smeggily deggily diddgery doo" is probably offensive to someone. That someone is most likely retarded.
    Post edited by HungryJoe on
  • gomidoggomidog
    edited September 2010
    Things go in and out of favor as the correct P.C. term to use. I suppose it is like those old people who say "Colored" and "Oriental" and think they are being polite. They rarely are malicious but it makes me wince because they are so obviously out of touch.

    I have an uncle who is brain damaged and has cerebral palsy. The extended family takes care of him together. I guess I always separated the colloquial usage of retarded from the strict definition usage, and was never super bothered by the term. If someone makes fun of actual disabled people, that's a different story and I will get ticked off.
    Post edited by gomidog on
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    I must admit to getting slightly miffed at people who said they were, "ADDing" when they were merely distracted and have no idea how much of a pain the ass ADD actually is. I try to keep it to myself though.
  • GreyHugeGreyHuge
    As a person with autism, I find the very idea of this pledge retarded.
  • gomidoggomidog
    I must admit to getting slightly miffed at people who said they were, "ADDing" when they were merely distracted and have no idea how much of a pain the ass ADD actually is. I try to keep it to myself though.
    Yeah, or say someone is "OCD" when they are just being neat. It's like, come back when you have an anxiety attack.
  • WyattWyatt
    Oh Smeg.
    I
    The show's creators (Grant Naylor) have stated it was not related to a medical term and was a made up swear word. The show has consistently claimed to know nothing[citation needed] of the word "smegma" (a whitish sebaceous secretion that collects between the glans penis and foreskin or in the vulva), and that "smeg" was entirely made up, sounding as it did like a generic, four-letter, single-syllable swear-word that might be used in the future (and so could be used in the programme in place of swear words that, at the time, would not usually be used in mainstream sitcoms).
    I think that attempting to banning words is pointless. The slang meaning of words changes at a faster pace then even the most cunning linguists can keep up with ;) Go watch the episode South Park did about the word FAG. Besides, I prefer to call idiots 'window-lickers' anyways.
  • gomidoggomidog
    cunning linguists
    See, I almost read that as a dirty word, so that supports the theory.
  • DiddgeryDiddgery
    "Smeggily deggily diddgery doo"
    You called?
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    I must admit to getting slightly miffed at people who said they were, "ADDing" when they were merely distracted and have no idea how much of a pain the ass ADD actually is. I try to keep it to myself though.
    Yeah, or say someone is "OCD" when they are just being neat. It's like, come back when you have an anxiety attack.
    Seriously, whiny bitches.
  • jlawson70jlawson70
    I always try to make an attempt when I want to swear to use something else, like "Bloody blue blazes!", "What in the Sam Hill!" or my favorite from Col. Sherman Potter: "Horse fritters!".
  • AndrewAndrew
    I always try to make an attempt when I want to swear to use something else, like "Bloody blue blazes!", "What in the Sam Hill!" or my favorite from Col. Sherman Potter: "Horse fritters!".
    Why? If you're going to swear, go the full monty.
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    A word only has the power of the intent with which it is spoken. I can find plenty of ways to be every bit as hurtful without calling someone a "retard," and I can call someone a "retard" without any hurtful intent at all.

    So no, banning specific words is counterproductive. Consider the intent of a given speech; that's the part that matters.
  • WalkerWalker
    cunning linguists
    See, I almost read that as a dirty word, so that supports the theory.
  • ninjarabbininjarabbi
    I guess I always separated the colloquial usage of retarded from the strict definition usage, and was never super bothered by the term. If someone makes fun of actual disabled people, that's a different story and I will get ticked off.
    Ditto.

    also
    I guess I always separated the colloquial usage of gay from the strict definition usage, and was never super bothered by the term. If someone makes fun of actual gay people, that's a different story and I will get ticked off.
    And on the original topic, that's retarded.
  • AprecheApreche
    When someone is bothered by use of specific words, regardless of context or intent, that's a clear indicator that they are not so bright.

    For example, I could say "man, that show is retarded" or "man, that comic book is so gay." Clearly, any intelligent person realizes that despite using the words retarded and gay, I am in no way even thinking about people with down's syndrome or homosexuals. These comments do not imply anything about those groups of people, or my feelings towards them, in any way. Therefore, if someone is offended by such comments, they are either trying to be offended, or they are severely lacking in language skills.

    Meanwhile, it is trivially easy to say something that is actually offensive without using any "bad" words. Which of the following two sentences is more offensive?

    "What's up my niggers/kikes?"

    "All of the African Americans/Hebrews should be hanged."

    Removing individual words from the lexicon falsely hinders the first, non-offensive, example while completely ignoring the actually offensive second example.
  • AndrewAndrew
    "What's up my niggers/kikes?"
  • trogdor9trogdor9
    "man, that comic book is so gay."
    If the comic book sparkles, has rainbows, or is actually a yaoi manga, then yes, that comic book is pretty darn gay. But if the comic book is lame and you're calling it gay, it's pretty hard to deny that you're calling gay people lame.
    "What's up my niggers/kikes?"

    "All of the African Americans/Hebrews should be hanged."
    I view this as an entirely different issue. I totally agree with you here - The first one shouldn't be considered offensive at all, and there's no denying that the second one is pretty much one of the worst things you can say.
  • MrRobotoMrRoboto
    "man, that comic book is so gay."
    If the comic book sparkles, has rainbows, or is actually a yaoi manga, then yes, that comic book ispretty darn gay. But if the comic book is lame and you're calling it gay, it's pretty hard to deny that you're calling gay people lame.
    How about a really happy comic book?
  • trogdor9trogdor9
    Sure, that too. >.<
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