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Slurs are generally less effective once they've become mainstream. Go spend some time on 4chan, and this will become clear--'-fag' is used as a suffix/term-of-
by angersock 11y ago
Slurs are generally less effective once they've become mainstream.
Go spend some time on 4chan, and this will become clear--'-fag' is used as a suffix/term-of-art, and basically doesn't even register on the radar anymore as being said with any seriousness.
"Goddamn" and "Christ" were once quite serious business as well.
- smeyer 11y agoOf course they're less effective once they've become mainstream. As you mentioned, many slurs gradually lose any hateful meaning, and I'm sure the term "faggotry" might be becoming a bit less offensive over time, but seeing as how it's still used by many people in a hurtful way, it's not unreasonable to expect some people to be upset in situations where it's less clear. If someone disliked a comment using the term on 4chan, I wouldn't assume they disliked it for the term, but this isn't 4chan.
- angersock 11y agothis isn't 4chan. Quite right--4chan has a better sense of humor than HN, more original content, and is much more abrasive. :)