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Can he not say "stupid" either because it's derogatory to stupid people? How about "bad", is that derogatory to bad people e.g. criminals? If it's not direct _
by PostOnce 9y ago
Can he not say "stupid" either because it's derogatory to stupid people? How about "bad", is that derogatory to bad people e.g. criminals?
If it's not direct _at someone or some group_ and is not intended to belittle them for e.g. actually being mentally retarded, then it's harmless.
We put too much emphasis on words and too little on intent.
- eropple 9y agoI mean...man, I recall kids in my high school saying "that's fucking Jewish" when they didn't like something. But that wouldn't have been directly at someone or some group, so it's copacetic, yeah? Maybe we should just be less awful about the words we use instead of trying to litigate that they're really okay, no, really, I said so.
- bitwize 9y ago"Retarded" was actually coined as a neutral replacement for "stupid", which started off neutral but had grown in colloquial use to the point of becoming an insult. And today you are not supposed to use "retarded" as a neutral term of art referring to cognitive development; "intellectual disability", "mentally challenged", "developmental delays", etc. are the new preferred terms.
- Joeboy 9y agoGetting way off topic, but I wonder if this euphemism treadmill is actually still in operation. It seems like it's been a while since one of these new "neutral" terms became a mainstream insult. But tbf I don't spend as much time in playgrounds as I did when I was younger.
- bitwize 9y agoI don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me if it continues in some form. The Jewish people have been on a euphemistic treadmill regarding how to refer to their deity for millennia now (and yes, it's still going in some sects; consider how modern Jews often type "G-d" despite no rabbinical prohibition on spelling God's name in English).