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Slurs are part of discourse. Slurs are considered a problem because they're offensive. Banning them is the first step on the road to banning offensive content.

Slurs are part of discourse. Slurs are considered a problem because they're offensive. Banning them is the first step on the road to banning offensive content. Who arbitrates what is offensive? Sure, we can agree on "The N-Word", but how about Idiot's Guide to Web Tools?

JoshTriplett 11y ago
Can you not tell the difference between "The Idiot's Guide ..." and "The R---rd's Guide ..."? "Idiot" is not a derogatory slur.
- jmsmistral 11y ago
  Isn't that subjective?
  - JoshTriplett 11y ago
    No, there's a clear objective line there. And while it'd be difficult to teach a computer that line, a human can understand it just fine.
    - aerovistae 11y ago
      Objective: (of a person or their judgment) not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts. --- Please, PLEASE try and tell me that definition is compatible with a discussion of "which words hurt people's feelings."
      - JoshTriplett 11y ago
        You don't have to agree with a criteria to be able to apply it objectively; it just has to be something that can be evaluated by anyone to come up with the same answer. You can't objectively evaluate whether art looks good; you can only get subjective answers and attempt to find consensus. You can objectively determine if a word is a noun, verb, adjective, etc (given context, as some words can fall in several categories). And given context, you can objectively determine if a word is a slur. (Personally, I avoid both slurs and insults, but github only bans the former, not the latter, and that seems like a reasonable position to take.) So, to be clear: there's an objective criteria for "what is a slur"; there's no objective criteria for "what is acceptable" or "what is offensive". But in any case, a hosting company is hardly required to provide an objective criteria for what they accept; it's nice if the rules they supply can be objectively evaluated, but that doesn't mean their choice of which rules to apply needs to be objective. In any case, I have no further interest in arguing with you; I doubt you're going to stop being outraged that someone won't give you a free platform for hatefulness.
        aerovistae 11y ago
        I already have a free platform for hatefulness, it's called America.
- aerovistae 11y ago
  Oh, is there a threshold? How many people have to be offended by it before it counts? Can you give me a number? I find 'idiot' to be a derogatory slur, does that mean nothing to you? And note what I said in a previous commend about the elder meaning of 'idiot.' Pretty much means the same thing as 'retard' but people don't think of it that way anymore. You're taking such a traditional mindset about this, kind of "just what your parents told you."

JoshTriplett 11y ago

Can you not tell the difference between "The Idiot's Guide ..." and "The R---rd's Guide ..."? "Idiot" is not a derogatory slur.

jmsmistral 11y ago
Isn't that subjective?
- JoshTriplett 11y ago
  No, there's a clear objective line there. And while it'd be difficult to teach a computer that line, a human can understand it just fine.
  - aerovistae 11y ago
    Objective: (of a person or their judgment) not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts. --- Please, PLEASE try and tell me that definition is compatible with a discussion of "which words hurt people's feelings."
    - JoshTriplett 11y ago
      You don't have to agree with a criteria to be able to apply it objectively; it just has to be something that can be evaluated by anyone to come up with the same answer. You can't objectively evaluate whether art looks good; you can only get subjective answers and attempt to find consensus. You can objectively determine if a word is a noun, verb, adjective, etc (given context, as some words can fall in several categories). And given context, you can objectively determine if a word is a slur. (Personally, I avoid both slurs and insults, but github only bans the former, not the latter, and that seems like a reasonable position to take.) So, to be clear: there's an objective criteria for "what is a slur"; there's no objective criteria for "what is acceptable" or "what is offensive". But in any case, a hosting company is hardly required to provide an objective criteria for what they accept; it's nice if the rules they supply can be objectively evaluated, but that doesn't mean their choice of which rules to apply needs to be objective. In any case, I have no further interest in arguing with you; I doubt you're going to stop being outraged that someone won't give you a free platform for hatefulness.
      - aerovistae 11y ago
        I already have a free platform for hatefulness, it's called America.
aerovistae 11y ago
Oh, is there a threshold? How many people have to be offended by it before it counts? Can you give me a number? I find 'idiot' to be a derogatory slur, does that mean nothing to you? And note what I said in a previous commend about the elder meaning of 'idiot.' Pretty much means the same thing as 'retard' but people don't think of it that way anymore. You're taking such a traditional mindset about this, kind of "just what your parents told you."