Well, the thing that makes it offensive isn't that the word is offensive, its that it suggest a certain type of thinking.
The person using the words probably isn't all squeaky clean in their beliefs. I get pissy when people say certain things, but its more because I'm pissy that they believe in the notions that come with the usage of the words.
Mel Gibson blaming Jews doesn't just show me he was angry at the officers or using the N-word shows me he's just angry at his wife, it shows me that he's an incredible bigot. If one doesn't want to be thought of as a bigot, perhaps using those types of words/sayings in an intentionally offensive manner isn't good?
Its been a couple great years for public/celebrity racism, huh? Why do we need movies when we can just get this stuff for free?
Edit: Its also made a bit more weird by the online thing. People don't think of other people as people online. Which is so weird then having bigotry come into it, because it makes me think that the people using these terms, don't think of the people those terms are meant for, are real people.
Of course, growing up, racism was a pretty closed and shut case. It was bad. As a kid, I was pretty guilty of using faggot and gay. I'm 20 now, and watching people my age still use these terms is bizarre as all hell.
This almost exactly mirrors my position. The problem is, when you call people out on using this language, they are not likely to change. They're more likely to demonize you and kick you out of the group. The most popular response I get when I call people out for using these words online? "I have plenty of black friends!"
I just...don't know what to say to people who think it's okay because I HAVE A BLACK FRIEND GUYS.
I think you misunderstand how language works. Words become detached from their original meanings, this is always happening, and is happening online as well. See my previous post about "thats gay" and "that sucks" etc. So when some online 12 year old says "You are such a damn N-Word" they literally aren't thinking about black people at all I almost guarantee it. They use that word to mean a larger variety of things, the very meaning of the word in the onling gaming context has changed. It no longer means "black man."
The slavery and oppression of African-Americans though is less then 200 years old, and their socioeconomic status lags behind that of the average Caucasian. Maybe sometime in the distant future (500+ years) when that's a vague and absurd memory, would it be acceptable. Otherwise: don't be a dick.
I am not condoning the use of the word or any offensive word for that matter, because like you said dont be a dick. I am just saying I don't think that on the whole it leads to any actual racism/bigotry. I know this from personal experience. When I was a kid just getting into online gaming I was offensive as possible, using all kinds of awful words. I don't consider myself a racist or a bigot at all now, nor do I think I was then either. I was just a kid trying to be offensive and gain attention. Those words literally didn't have racist meaning to me. And even the word gay now doesnt have offensive meaning to me. I know people get offended by it and since I am a nice enough guy I try to refrain.
Think of it this way, if 95% of the time a 5 year old hears "thats gay" and it is in the "thats lame" context, what meaning do you think he will attach to it? Do you honestly think the connection is being made in his mind to homosexuals? No it isnt. It literally means "thats lame" to that 5 year old, because thats how he hears it used.
I think if a 5 year old hears "that's gay" in the lame context, and grows up continuing to use it, when he meets his first gay person in his teenage years he's going to associate them with being lame. That's how association works.
Nah, not with how many homonyms we have in the english language, and how many different words have 100% different meanings in different contexts.
Not to mention "gay" didnt originally mean "homosexual" in the first place. I mean who really associates gay with happy anymore like no one.
Thats gay is here to stay whether people like it or not, and I think it will eventually be accepted and not have any negative connotation towards homosexuals, who may even eventually stop calling themselves gay. I don't even get why they are called gay in the first place tbh.
Well, the thing that makes it offensive isn't that the word is offensive, its that it suggest a certain type of thinking.
The person using the words probably isn't all squeaky clean in their beliefs. I get pissy when people say certain things, but its more because I'm pissy that they believe in the notions that come with the usage of the words.
Mel Gibson blaming Jews doesn't just show me he was angry at the officers or using the N-word shows me he's just angry at his wife, it shows me that he's an incredible bigot. If one doesn't want to be thought of as a bigot, perhaps using those types of words/sayings in an intentionally offensive manner isn't good?
Its been a couple great years for public/celebrity racism, huh? Why do we need movies when we can just get this stuff for free?
Edit: Its also made a bit more weird by the online thing. People don't think of other people as people online. Which is so weird then having bigotry come into it, because it makes me think that the people using these terms, don't think of the people those terms are meant for, are real people.
Of course, growing up, racism was a pretty closed and shut case. It was bad. As a kid, I was pretty guilty of using faggot and gay. I'm 20 now, and watching people my age still use these terms is bizarre as all hell.
This almost exactly mirrors my position. The problem is, when you call people out on using this language, they are not likely to change. They're more likely to demonize you and kick you out of the group. The most popular response I get when I call people out for using these words online? "I have plenty of black friends!"
I just...don't know what to say to people who think it's okay because I HAVE A BLACK FRIEND GUYS.
I think you misunderstand how language works. Words become detached from their original meanings, this is always happening, and is happening online as well. See my previous post about "thats gay" and "that sucks" etc. So when some online 12 year old says "You are such a damn N-Word" they literally aren't thinking about black people at all I almost guarantee it. They use that word to mean a larger variety of things, the very meaning of the word in the onling gaming context has changed. It no longer means "black man."
The slavery and oppression of African-Americans though is less then 200 years old, and their socioeconomic status lags behind that of the average Caucasian. Maybe sometime in the distant future (500+ years) when that's a vague and absurd memory, would it be acceptable. Otherwise: don't be a dick.
I am not condoning the use of the word or any offensive word for that matter, because like you said dont be a dick. I am just saying I don't think that on the whole it leads to any actual racism/bigotry. I know this from personal experience. When I was a kid just getting into online gaming I was offensive as possible, using all kinds of awful words. I don't consider myself a racist or a bigot at all now, nor do I think I was then either. I was just a kid trying to be offensive and gain attention. Those words literally didn't have racist meaning to me. And even the word gay now doesnt have offensive meaning to me. I know people get offended by it and since I am a nice enough guy I try to refrain.
Think of it this way, if 95% of the time a 5 year old hears "thats gay" and it is in the "thats lame" context, what meaning do you think he will attach to it? Do you honestly think the connection is being made in his mind to homosexuals? No it isnt. It literally means "thats lame" to that 5 year old, because thats how he hears it used.
I think if a 5 year old hears "that's gay" in the lame context, and grows up continuing to use it, when he meets his first gay person in his teenage years he's going to associate them with being lame. That's how association works.
Nah, not with how many homonyms we have in the english language, and how many different words have 100% different meanings in different contexts.
Not to mention "gay" didnt originally mean "homosexual" in the first place. I mean who really associates gay with happy anymore like no one.
Thats gay is here to stay whether people like it or not, and I think it will eventually be accepted and not have any negative connotation towards homosexuals, who may even eventually stop calling themselves gay. I don't even get why they are called gay in the first place tbh.
I don't know, man. No one I know says "that's gay" because they know that's offensive, and we're more invested in not perpetuating the association of homosexuality with something pathetic or unfortunate than we are in one particular term.
Also with regard to "that's gay" and the last part of the OP, I feel like you can't "take back" anything unless you're a member of the group that's being referred to (when a black person refers to "my [n-word]" or a woman who has decided to reclaim the word "cunt" or "bitch" and use it in a positive context, as in for example saying reverently "she is one bad bitch" it's really different from when a white person or a man uses the n-word or "cunt" or "bitch"). Context matters, and the speaker matters. Even if you're not consciously thinking "black people are terrible" when you say the n-word, it's not okay.
Well, the thing that makes it offensive isn't that the word is offensive, its that it suggest a certain type of thinking.
The person using the words probably isn't all squeaky clean in their beliefs. I get pissy when people say certain things, but its more because I'm pissy that they believe in the notions that come with the usage of the words.
Mel Gibson blaming Jews doesn't just show me he was angry at the officers or using the N-word shows me he's just angry at his wife, it shows me that he's an incredible bigot. If one doesn't want to be thought of as a bigot, perhaps using those types of words/sayings in an intentionally offensive manner isn't good?
Its been a couple great years for public/celebrity racism, huh? Why do we need movies when we can just get this stuff for free?
Edit: Its also made a bit more weird by the online thing. People don't think of other people as people online. Which is so weird then having bigotry come into it, because it makes me think that the people using these terms, don't think of the people those terms are meant for, are real people.
Of course, growing up, racism was a pretty closed and shut case. It was bad. As a kid, I was pretty guilty of using faggot and gay. I'm 20 now, and watching people my age still use these terms is bizarre as all hell.
This almost exactly mirrors my position. The problem is, when you call people out on using this language, they are not likely to change. They're more likely to demonize you and kick you out of the group. The most popular response I get when I call people out for using these words online? "I have plenty of black friends!"
I just...don't know what to say to people who think it's okay because I HAVE A BLACK FRIEND GUYS.
I think you misunderstand how language works. Words become detached from their original meanings, this is always happening, and is happening online as well. See my previous post about "thats gay" and "that sucks" etc. So when some online 12 year old says "You are such a damn N-Word" they literally aren't thinking about black people at all I almost guarantee it. They use that word to mean a larger variety of things, the very meaning of the word in the onling gaming context has changed. It no longer means "black man."
The slavery and oppression of African-Americans though is less then 200 years old, and their socioeconomic status lags behind that of the average Caucasian. Maybe sometime in the distant future (500+ years) when that's a vague and absurd memory, would it be acceptable. Otherwise: don't be a dick.
I am not condoning the use of the word or any offensive word for that matter, because like you said dont be a dick. I am just saying I don't think that on the whole it leads to any actual racism/bigotry. I know this from personal experience. When I was a kid just getting into online gaming I was offensive as possible, using all kinds of awful words. I don't consider myself a racist or a bigot at all now, nor do I think I was then either. I was just a kid trying to be offensive and gain attention. Those words literally didn't have racist meaning to me. And even the word gay now doesnt have offensive meaning to me. I know people get offended by it and since I am a nice enough guy I try to refrain.
Think of it this way, if 95% of the time a 5 year old hears "thats gay" and it is in the "thats lame" context, what meaning do you think he will attach to it? Do you honestly think the connection is being made in his mind to homosexuals? No it isnt. It literally means "thats lame" to that 5 year old, because thats how he hears it used.
I think if a 5 year old hears "that's gay" in the lame context, and grows up continuing to use it, when he meets his first gay person in his teenage years he's going to associate them with being lame. That's how association works.
I guess he'll have some growing up to do.
I like that!
Yeah, fuck that kid. All being generally reinforced for awful behavior over a lifetime. That goddamn hypothetical layabout. He deserves to make other people feel bad all the time. That'll learn him! When he's older and wiser, looking back on the life he lead and feeling bad about the times he hurt people oh boy oh boy will Hypothetical Kid With Homophobic Parents or Something feel so awful.
I feel like you can't "take back" anything unless you're a member of the group that's being referred to (when a black person refers to "my [n-word]" or a woman who has decided to reclaim the word "cunt" or "bitch" and use it in a positive context, as in for example saying reverently "she is one bad bitch" it's really different from when a white person or a man uses the n-word or "cunt" or "bitch"). Context matters, and the speaker matters. Even if you're not consciously thinking "black people are terrible" when you say the n-word, it's not okay.
But the "wrong speaker" doesn't give up the right to be free from physical violence for disagreeing with/ignoring your sentiment, correct?
And why exactly is it impossible for someone outside the group to use a term in a positive manner? Like, I assume Eminem can get away with the line Jackie Chan just tried.
I feel like you can't "take back" anything unless you're a member of the group that's being referred to (when a black person refers to "my [n-word]" or a woman who has decided to reclaim the word "cunt" or "bitch" and use it in a positive context, as in for example saying reverently "she is one bad bitch" it's really different from when a white person or a man uses the n-word or "cunt" or "bitch"). Context matters, and the speaker matters. Even if you're not consciously thinking "black people are terrible" when you say the n-word, it's not okay.
But the "wrong speaker" doesn't give up the right to be free from physical violence for disagreeing with/ignoring your sentiment, correct?
And why exactly is it impossible for someone outside the group to use a term in a positive manner? Like, I assume Eminem can get away with the line Jackie Chan just tried.
What? Of course I am not advocating violence against people who are offensive and disrespectful. That doesn't mean they're not obnoxious.
As for your other question, you just can't. It's rude at best.
And Eminem himself has said that it's not okay for him as a white rapper to use the N word, so he doesn't. There are old tapes of him from when he was a teenager freestyling, and he used the N word then. He no longer does.
Well, the thing that makes it offensive isn't that the word is offensive, its that it suggest a certain type of thinking.
The person using the words probably isn't all squeaky clean in their beliefs. I get pissy when people say certain things, but its more because I'm pissy that they believe in the notions that come with the usage of the words.
Mel Gibson blaming Jews doesn't just show me he was angry at the officers or using the N-word shows me he's just angry at his wife, it shows me that he's an incredible bigot. If one doesn't want to be thought of as a bigot, perhaps using those types of words/sayings in an intentionally offensive manner isn't good?
Its been a couple great years for public/celebrity racism, huh? Why do we need movies when we can just get this stuff for free?
Edit: Its also made a bit more weird by the online thing. People don't think of other people as people online. Which is so weird then having bigotry come into it, because it makes me think that the people using these terms, don't think of the people those terms are meant for, are real people.
Of course, growing up, racism was a pretty closed and shut case. It was bad. As a kid, I was pretty guilty of using faggot and gay. I'm 20 now, and watching people my age still use these terms is bizarre as all hell.
This almost exactly mirrors my position. The problem is, when you call people out on using this language, they are not likely to change. They're more likely to demonize you and kick you out of the group. The most popular response I get when I call people out for using these words online? "I have plenty of black friends!"
I just...don't know what to say to people who think it's okay because I HAVE A BLACK FRIEND GUYS.
I think you misunderstand how language works. Words become detached from their original meanings, this is always happening, and is happening online as well. See my previous post about "thats gay" and "that sucks" etc. So when some online 12 year old says "You are such a damn N-Word" they literally aren't thinking about black people at all I almost guarantee it. They use that word to mean a larger variety of things, the very meaning of the word in the onling gaming context has changed. It no longer means "black man."
The slavery and oppression of African-Americans though is less then 200 years old, and their socioeconomic status lags behind that of the average Caucasian. Maybe sometime in the distant future (500+ years) when that's a vague and absurd memory, would it be acceptable. Otherwise: don't be a dick.
I am not condoning the use of the word or any offensive word for that matter, because like you said dont be a dick. I am just saying I don't think that on the whole it leads to any actual racism/bigotry. I know this from personal experience. When I was a kid just getting into online gaming I was offensive as possible, using all kinds of awful words. I don't consider myself a racist or a bigot at all now, nor do I think I was then either. I was just a kid trying to be offensive and gain attention. Those words literally didn't have racist meaning to me. And even the word gay now doesnt have offensive meaning to me. I know people get offended by it and since I am a nice enough guy I try to refrain.
Think of it this way, if 95% of the time a 5 year old hears "thats gay" and it is in the "thats lame" context, what meaning do you think he will attach to it? Do you honestly think the connection is being made in his mind to homosexuals? No it isnt. It literally means "thats lame" to that 5 year old, because thats how he hears it used.
I think if a 5 year old hears "that's gay" in the lame context, and grows up continuing to use it, when he meets his first gay person in his teenage years he's going to associate them with being lame. That's how association works.
Nah, not with how many homonyms we have in the english language, and how many different words have 100% different meanings in different contexts.
Not to mention "gay" didnt originally mean "homosexual" in the first place. I mean who really associates gay with happy anymore like no one.
Thats gay is here to stay whether people like it or not, and I think it will eventually be accepted and not have any negative connotation towards homosexuals, who may even eventually stop calling themselves gay. I don't even get why they are called gay in the first place tbh.
I don't know, man. No one I know says "that's gay" because they know that's offensive, and we're more invested in not perpetuating the association of homosexuality with something pathetic or unfortunate than we are in one particular term.
Also with regard to "that's gay" and the last part of the OP, I feel like you can't "take back" anything unless you're a member of the group that's being referred to (when a black person refers to "my [n-word]" or a woman who has decided to reclaim the word "cunt" or "bitch" and use it in a positive context, as in for example saying reverently "she is one bad bitch" it's really different from when a white person or a man uses the n-word or "cunt" or "bitch"). Context matters, and the speaker matters. Even if you're not consciously thinking "black people are terrible" when you say the n-word, it's not okay.
You know I am beginning to think "thats gay" is a largely west coast thing, because people say it all the time in california. I even know some gay people that say it.
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ShivahnUnaware of her barrel shifter privilegeWestern coastal temptressRegistered User, Moderatormod
You know I am beginning to think "thats gay" is a largely west coast thing, because people say it all the time in california. I even know some gay people that say it.
My roommate calls the pets "fucking faggots."
As in, "Who's a fucking faggot?"
He's nice about it, in terms of voice. He's just doing that thing people do where they're really nice to dogs while telling them mean things. He loves that dog.
But it gets sort of disturbing and makes me feel unsafe half the time. Like, what if he notices that I'm wearing a women's shirt or whatever? Is he just kidding? Or should I be wary?
Which is actually another reason you should probably avoid using slurs like that. The atmosphere becomes toxic and minorities who know they can't stand up for themselves are forced into either accepting that they're everyone's punching bags or quitting the game/chat/whatever.
Well, the thing that makes it offensive isn't that the word is offensive, its that it suggest a certain type of thinking.
The person using the words probably isn't all squeaky clean in their beliefs. I get pissy when people say certain things, but its more because I'm pissy that they believe in the notions that come with the usage of the words.
Mel Gibson blaming Jews doesn't just show me he was angry at the officers or using the N-word shows me he's just angry at his wife, it shows me that he's an incredible bigot. If one doesn't want to be thought of as a bigot, perhaps using those types of words/sayings in an intentionally offensive manner isn't good?
Its been a couple great years for public/celebrity racism, huh? Why do we need movies when we can just get this stuff for free?
Edit: Its also made a bit more weird by the online thing. People don't think of other people as people online. Which is so weird then having bigotry come into it, because it makes me think that the people using these terms, don't think of the people those terms are meant for, are real people.
Of course, growing up, racism was a pretty closed and shut case. It was bad. As a kid, I was pretty guilty of using faggot and gay. I'm 20 now, and watching people my age still use these terms is bizarre as all hell.
This almost exactly mirrors my position. The problem is, when you call people out on using this language, they are not likely to change. They're more likely to demonize you and kick you out of the group. The most popular response I get when I call people out for using these words online? "I have plenty of black friends!"
I just...don't know what to say to people who think it's okay because I HAVE A BLACK FRIEND GUYS.
I think you misunderstand how language works. Words become detached from their original meanings, this is always happening, and is happening online as well. See my previous post about "thats gay" and "that sucks" etc. So when some online 12 year old says "You are such a damn N-Word" they literally aren't thinking about black people at all I almost guarantee it. They use that word to mean a larger variety of things, the very meaning of the word in the onling gaming context has changed. It no longer means "black man."
The slavery and oppression of African-Americans though is less then 200 years old, and their socioeconomic status lags behind that of the average Caucasian. Maybe sometime in the distant future (500+ years) when that's a vague and absurd memory, would it be acceptable. Otherwise: don't be a dick.
I am not condoning the use of the word or any offensive word for that matter, because like you said dont be a dick. I am just saying I don't think that on the whole it leads to any actual racism/bigotry. I know this from personal experience. When I was a kid just getting into online gaming I was offensive as possible, using all kinds of awful words. I don't consider myself a racist or a bigot at all now, nor do I think I was then either. I was just a kid trying to be offensive and gain attention. Those words literally didn't have racist meaning to me. And even the word gay now doesnt have offensive meaning to me. I know people get offended by it and since I am a nice enough guy I try to refrain.
Think of it this way, if 95% of the time a 5 year old hears "thats gay" and it is in the "thats lame" context, what meaning do you think he will attach to it? Do you honestly think the connection is being made in his mind to homosexuals? No it isnt. It literally means "thats lame" to that 5 year old, because thats how he hears it used.
I think if a 5 year old hears "that's gay" in the lame context, and grows up continuing to use it, when he meets his first gay person in his teenage years he's going to associate them with being lame. That's how association works.
I guess he'll have some growing up to do.
I like that!
Yeah, fuck that kid. All being generally reinforced for awful behavior over a lifetime. That goddamn hypothetical layabout. He deserves to make other people feel bad all the time. That'll learn him! When he's older and wiser, looking back on the life he lead and feeling bad about the times he hurt people oh boy oh boy will Hypothetical Kid With Homophobic Parents or Something feel so awful.
And then who's on top? You and me, buddy.
Enjoy policing the internet. I think you can download a badge somewhere.
@bolded: If his parents are that terrible then yea, eventually he's going to run into a time at work or wherever where he's going to made to feel 3 inches tall for being a bigot. This is a good thing.
Well, the thing that makes it offensive isn't that the word is offensive, its that it suggest a certain type of thinking.
The person using the words probably isn't all squeaky clean in their beliefs. I get pissy when people say certain things, but its more because I'm pissy that they believe in the notions that come with the usage of the words.
Mel Gibson blaming Jews doesn't just show me he was angry at the officers or using the N-word shows me he's just angry at his wife, it shows me that he's an incredible bigot. If one doesn't want to be thought of as a bigot, perhaps using those types of words/sayings in an intentionally offensive manner isn't good?
Its been a couple great years for public/celebrity racism, huh? Why do we need movies when we can just get this stuff for free?
Edit: Its also made a bit more weird by the online thing. People don't think of other people as people online. Which is so weird then having bigotry come into it, because it makes me think that the people using these terms, don't think of the people those terms are meant for, are real people.
Of course, growing up, racism was a pretty closed and shut case. It was bad. As a kid, I was pretty guilty of using faggot and gay. I'm 20 now, and watching people my age still use these terms is bizarre as all hell.
This almost exactly mirrors my position. The problem is, when you call people out on using this language, they are not likely to change. They're more likely to demonize you and kick you out of the group. The most popular response I get when I call people out for using these words online? "I have plenty of black friends!"
I just...don't know what to say to people who think it's okay because I HAVE A BLACK FRIEND GUYS.
I think you misunderstand how language works. Words become detached from their original meanings, this is always happening, and is happening online as well. See my previous post about "thats gay" and "that sucks" etc. So when some online 12 year old says "You are such a damn N-Word" they literally aren't thinking about black people at all I almost guarantee it. They use that word to mean a larger variety of things, the very meaning of the word in the onling gaming context has changed. It no longer means "black man."
The slavery and oppression of African-Americans though is less then 200 years old, and their socioeconomic status lags behind that of the average Caucasian. Maybe sometime in the distant future (500+ years) when that's a vague and absurd memory, would it be acceptable. Otherwise: don't be a dick.
I am not condoning the use of the word or any offensive word for that matter, because like you said dont be a dick. I am just saying I don't think that on the whole it leads to any actual racism/bigotry. I know this from personal experience. When I was a kid just getting into online gaming I was offensive as possible, using all kinds of awful words. I don't consider myself a racist or a bigot at all now, nor do I think I was then either. I was just a kid trying to be offensive and gain attention. Those words literally didn't have racist meaning to me. And even the word gay now doesnt have offensive meaning to me. I know people get offended by it and since I am a nice enough guy I try to refrain.
Think of it this way, if 95% of the time a 5 year old hears "thats gay" and it is in the "thats lame" context, what meaning do you think he will attach to it? Do you honestly think the connection is being made in his mind to homosexuals? No it isnt. It literally means "thats lame" to that 5 year old, because thats how he hears it used.
I think if a 5 year old hears "that's gay" in the lame context, and grows up continuing to use it, when he meets his first gay person in his teenage years he's going to associate them with being lame. That's how association works.
I guess he'll have some growing up to do.
I like that!
Yeah, fuck that kid. All being generally reinforced for awful behavior over a lifetime. That goddamn hypothetical layabout. He deserves to make other people feel bad all the time. That'll learn him! When he's older and wiser, looking back on the life he lead and feeling bad about the times he hurt people oh boy oh boy will Hypothetical Kid With Homophobic Parents or Something feel so awful.
And then who's on top? You and me, buddy.
Enjoy policing the internet. I think you can download a badge somewhere.
@bolded: If his parents are that terrible then yea, eventually he's going to run into a time at work or wherever where he's going to made to feel 3 inches tall for being a bigot. This is a good thing.
So wait a minute.
It's appropriate and proper that this hypothetical person get called out for being a homophobe, just, god forbid it happen via the medium of an online game? Because after all if it were expected people stand up to this shit while playing halo, you'd wind up feeling like it was expected of you.
Eat it You Nasty Pig. on
it was the smallest on the list but
Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
Or he and a bunch of other fucksticks will reinforce each other's behavior and make someone's life a living Hell.
Look the point is that it's important that hypothetical kid be shamed, eventually. If he doesn't grow up being a jerk, he can't be shamed!
That's the appropriate process. Grow up being told that it's right to hurt other people, hurt other people, and eventually maybe you'll get hurt badly in return after the damage has already been done. That's how everyone wins.
Or if you just go to a decently sized party with a wide mix of people. Throw in some alcohol, drugs, you get some pretty crazy stuff being said. Call people on it if you want, sometimes happens, sometimes doesn't. But trying to enforce your own notion of political correctness on a bunch of people just trying to have fun is usually difficult at best, and is itself often considered more rude than the offensive language in the first place.
You really need to considering hanging out with a better class of people.
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Ive heard people say f***ot many times. But you know what is almost as common as the use of that word? Implying that someone is homosexual, and then deriding them for it.
A lot of times it isnt as simple as someone saying the n word or calling people fa**ots. A lot of the time its people being insultingly hurtful towards people by being as offensive as possible.
There is a difference in stating an opinion and verbally attacking somone.
Or if you just go to a decently sized party with a wide mix of people. Throw in some alcohol, drugs, you get some pretty crazy stuff being said. Call people on it if you want, sometimes happens, sometimes doesn't. But trying to enforce your own notion of political correctness on a bunch of people just trying to have fun is usually difficult at best, and is itself often considered more rude than the offensive language in the first place.
You really need to considering hanging out with a better class of people.
I'll hang out with any class of people. More importantly, I don't choose before hand. If I show up at a party and only know one or two people there I'm not really looking to start shit due to someone's choice of words.
Or if you just go to a decently sized party with a wide mix of people. Throw in some alcohol, drugs, you get some pretty crazy stuff being said. Call people on it if you want, sometimes happens, sometimes doesn't. But trying to enforce your own notion of political correctness on a bunch of people just trying to have fun is usually difficult at best, and is itself often considered more rude than the offensive language in the first place.
You really need to considering hanging out with a better class of people.
I'll hang out with any class of people. More importantly, I don't choose before hand. If I show up at a party and only know one or two people there I'm not really looking to start shit due to someone's choice of words.
Different strokes and all that. But I can't really remember the last time I hung out in a social setting where racial slurs were acceptable. Other than online games, I guess.
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HachfaceNot the Minister Farrakhan you're thinking ofDammit, Shepard!Registered Userregular
Also, I'll point out that I consider it a degradation of online discourse that I cannot use the "N-word" here. We may be discussing it and other words such a context that makes its use totally relevant. But nope, its naughty, and its a no-no. A childish sentiment in my mind, not like its going to change. Online, I consider improper punctuation and capitalization errors way worse than racism/homophobia/whatever.
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What a wonderful way of stating it. Something very poetic in your response.
and the gengars who are guiding me" -- W.S. Merwin
Nah, not with how many homonyms we have in the english language, and how many different words have 100% different meanings in different contexts.
Not to mention "gay" didnt originally mean "homosexual" in the first place. I mean who really associates gay with happy anymore like no one.
Thats gay is here to stay whether people like it or not, and I think it will eventually be accepted and not have any negative connotation towards homosexuals, who may even eventually stop calling themselves gay. I don't even get why they are called gay in the first place tbh.
I don't know, man. No one I know says "that's gay" because they know that's offensive, and we're more invested in not perpetuating the association of homosexuality with something pathetic or unfortunate than we are in one particular term.
Also with regard to "that's gay" and the last part of the OP, I feel like you can't "take back" anything unless you're a member of the group that's being referred to (when a black person refers to "my [n-word]" or a woman who has decided to reclaim the word "cunt" or "bitch" and use it in a positive context, as in for example saying reverently "she is one bad bitch" it's really different from when a white person or a man uses the n-word or "cunt" or "bitch"). Context matters, and the speaker matters. Even if you're not consciously thinking "black people are terrible" when you say the n-word, it's not okay.
I like that!
Yeah, fuck that kid. All being generally reinforced for awful behavior over a lifetime. That goddamn hypothetical layabout. He deserves to make other people feel bad all the time. That'll learn him! When he's older and wiser, looking back on the life he lead and feeling bad about the times he hurt people oh boy oh boy will Hypothetical Kid With Homophobic Parents or Something feel so awful.
And then who's on top? You and me, buddy.
But the "wrong speaker" doesn't give up the right to be free from physical violence for disagreeing with/ignoring your sentiment, correct?
And why exactly is it impossible for someone outside the group to use a term in a positive manner? Like, I assume Eminem can get away with the line Jackie Chan just tried.
What? Of course I am not advocating violence against people who are offensive and disrespectful. That doesn't mean they're not obnoxious.
As for your other question, you just can't. It's rude at best.
And Eminem himself has said that it's not okay for him as a white rapper to use the N word, so he doesn't. There are old tapes of him from when he was a teenager freestyling, and he used the N word then. He no longer does.
You know I am beginning to think "thats gay" is a largely west coast thing, because people say it all the time in california. I even know some gay people that say it.
My roommate calls the pets "fucking faggots."
As in, "Who's a fucking faggot?"
He's nice about it, in terms of voice. He's just doing that thing people do where they're really nice to dogs while telling them mean things. He loves that dog.
But it gets sort of disturbing and makes me feel unsafe half the time. Like, what if he notices that I'm wearing a women's shirt or whatever? Is he just kidding? Or should I be wary?
Which is actually another reason you should probably avoid using slurs like that. The atmosphere becomes toxic and minorities who know they can't stand up for themselves are forced into either accepting that they're everyone's punching bags or quitting the game/chat/whatever.
That's a general "you" in that last paragraph.
Enjoy policing the internet. I think you can download a badge somewhere.
@bolded: If his parents are that terrible then yea, eventually he's going to run into a time at work or wherever where he's going to made to feel 3 inches tall for being a bigot. This is a good thing.
So wait a minute.
It's appropriate and proper that this hypothetical person get called out for being a homophobe, just, god forbid it happen via the medium of an online game? Because after all if it were expected people stand up to this shit while playing halo, you'd wind up feeling like it was expected of you.
Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
That's the appropriate process. Grow up being told that it's right to hurt other people, hurt other people, and eventually maybe you'll get hurt badly in return after the damage has already been done. That's how everyone wins.
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Ive heard people say f***ot many times. But you know what is almost as common as the use of that word? Implying that someone is homosexual, and then deriding them for it.
A lot of times it isnt as simple as someone saying the n word or calling people fa**ots. A lot of the time its people being insultingly hurtful towards people by being as offensive as possible.
There is a difference in stating an opinion and verbally attacking somone.
I'll hang out with any class of people. More importantly, I don't choose before hand. If I show up at a party and only know one or two people there I'm not really looking to start shit due to someone's choice of words.
Rigorous Scholarship
Your priorities are bad.
Critical Failures - Havenhold Campaign • August St. Cloud (Human Ranger)