5 ms·

> hire only civilised people, fire anyone who proves to be an uncivilised jerk ... because it's not full of retards... Complaining about sexism then using "ret

> hire only civilised people, fire anyone who proves to be an uncivilised jerk ... because it's not full of retards... Complaining about sexism then using "retards" as a pejorative is just too ironic.

UnoriginalGuy 13y ago
That caught me off guard too. I didn't realise anyone used the term anymore. Maybe the OP used it to make a point?
- swombat 13y ago
  I don't call mentally handicapped people retards, I call them mentally handicapped people. Retards, in my vocabulary, means someone who is not mentally handicapped but is a cretin. I could have used the word "cretin", in fact.
  - UnoriginalGuy 13y ago
    So you'd happily use the N' word, "fag," "gay," and similar since you can re-define them in your head to be just general insults, rather than associating negativity with the groups for which these words were originally used? Sorry but we both know the reason you're using that word is because you want to paint them as being mentally handicapped which you perceive as "bad." You can pretend that isn't what you're doing but even if that is true that is how others perceive it, because when they hear the word "retard" they think mentally handicapped and you're using it as a derogative.
    - swombat 13y ago
      Retard does not have the same "inappropriate" connotations in the UK as in the US (certainly it's nothing like using nigger or fag(got) in conversation as a pejorative). But yes, I do think being mentally handicapped is "bad". Are you arguing that it's "good"?
      - UnoriginalGuy 13y ago
        I live here. Yes it does.
        swombat 13y ago
        Well, I live here too. Maybe you live in an alternate reality. You didn't answer my question. Do you think being mentally handicapped is good?
        UnoriginalGuy 13y ago
        It is neither good nor bad. Neutral. But regardless of your opinion, using it as an insult is uncalled for. Since essentially you're lumping people who already have problems in with whatever it is you're trying to insult.
        swombat 13y ago
        I think by now we're really arguing semantics, but I would argue that I do not lump anyone in with the people I call retards. I would never call a mentally handicapped person a "retard". To me, that would be an incredibly insulting and inappropriate thing to do. The only people I'd call retards are people who are not mentally handicapped. Similarly, if I call someone a dick head, I do not consider that to be insulting, or even related, to physical dick heads... it's just an insulting term. If I call someone (a guy, usually) a bitch (e.g "Yo, bitch, pass me the beer"), that does not imply any connection with female dogs. Btw, I don't see how you can argue that being mentally handicapped (which by definition means having mental issues) can be neutral. It's clearly a net negative. It doesn't mean the person is more or less good, much like missing a leg or an arm (aka physically handicapped) doesn't make the person more or less good, but it's definitely a "bad" thing.

UnoriginalGuy 13y ago

That caught me off guard too. I didn't realise anyone used the term anymore. Maybe the OP used it to make a point?

swombat 13y ago
I don't call mentally handicapped people retards, I call them mentally handicapped people. Retards, in my vocabulary, means someone who is not mentally handicapped but is a cretin. I could have used the word "cretin", in fact.
- UnoriginalGuy 13y ago
  So you'd happily use the N' word, "fag," "gay," and similar since you can re-define them in your head to be just general insults, rather than associating negativity with the groups for which these words were originally used? Sorry but we both know the reason you're using that word is because you want to paint them as being mentally handicapped which you perceive as "bad." You can pretend that isn't what you're doing but even if that is true that is how others perceive it, because when they hear the word "retard" they think mentally handicapped and you're using it as a derogative.
  - swombat 13y ago
    Retard does not have the same "inappropriate" connotations in the UK as in the US (certainly it's nothing like using nigger or fag(got) in conversation as a pejorative). But yes, I do think being mentally handicapped is "bad". Are you arguing that it's "good"?
    - UnoriginalGuy 13y ago
      I live here. Yes it does.
      - swombat 13y ago
        Well, I live here too. Maybe you live in an alternate reality. You didn't answer my question. Do you think being mentally handicapped is good?
        UnoriginalGuy 13y ago
        It is neither good nor bad. Neutral. But regardless of your opinion, using it as an insult is uncalled for. Since essentially you're lumping people who already have problems in with whatever it is you're trying to insult.
        swombat 13y ago
        I think by now we're really arguing semantics, but I would argue that I do not lump anyone in with the people I call retards. I would never call a mentally handicapped person a "retard". To me, that would be an incredibly insulting and inappropriate thing to do. The only people I'd call retards are people who are not mentally handicapped. Similarly, if I call someone a dick head, I do not consider that to be insulting, or even related, to physical dick heads... it's just an insulting term. If I call someone (a guy, usually) a bitch (e.g "Yo, bitch, pass me the beer"), that does not imply any connection with female dogs. Btw, I don't see how you can argue that being mentally handicapped (which by definition means having mental issues) can be neutral. It's clearly a net negative. It doesn't mean the person is more or less good, much like missing a leg or an arm (aka physically handicapped) doesn't make the person more or less good, but it's definitely a "bad" thing.