/u/trashcancasual, for someone really upset about calling people retards, you sure are throwing around "ignorant" a lot. Do you actually think they're ignorant, as in they just don't know better, or are you using it as short hand to call them retarded?
I think are willfully ignorant, which is different from just not knowing something. They're choosing to believe slurs aren't real, therefor retard is not a slur. That has no basis in reality, as slurs are as real as anything else we use to communicate whether they believe in them or not.
Maybe they really think that. Maybe something in their biology compels them to not have a lot of patience for sob stories. Why are you going to talk down to them about something biological that they can't change?
What exactly, in your mind, distinguishes a "slur" from other sorts of insults; and why, in your mind, ought other people care about this distinction?
This is not rhetorical. I fully acknowledge that you have some underlying reasoning here which I'm sure you consider valid, and which I might even agree with. But the discussion is only possible if these premises are made explicit.
/u/trashcancasual do ever describe things as "stupid," "crazy," "lame," "dumb," or do you ever call someone or their line of reasoning "idiotic"?
Would you be opposed to someone saying that an arugment is retarded, or a line a reaonining is retarded?
Retard seems to have a legitimate use in English (flame-retardant e.g.) whereas other actual slurs are specific to describing an actual person. (Well, niggardly is a word, but its pretty much extinct).
It seems like the difference between a slur and an insult may have to with the flexibility of the word. And in that way retard seems like more of an insult.
I try not to use those, no. But there's a difference between flame retardant and calling someone retarded. As I keep saying, context is what makes it a slur. I really am not up for discussing things on r/drama, for reasons I hope are obvious.
Fair enough. I agree context is important. It just seems like something can be referred to as "retarded" without it being rooted in a belief that mentally disabled people deserve less respect than others. And that has to do with the actual meaning of the word, which is to stymy or slow something.
Whereas if someone uses an ethnic slur, it is more directly hostile to an entire group of people.
E.g. which is worse: "your presentation was like a something a nigger would do" vs. "Your presentation was retarded."
Except it is, and people still use it to mean people with mental disabilities and the like. People use the n slur in friendly ways as well, but that doesn't negate the history and weight behind it, so it's still a slur.
But people with "mental disabilities" are literally retarded. Now that saying retarded is a slur, people have switched to "autistic". Once that get more known and virtue signal, someone will come out with a new one. You solve nothing. Retards are still retards uses as a slur or a literal thing.
No thats part of the point. You can say something and not someone is retarded - something not applicable to slurs, which can only apply to groups of people.
But does "faggoty" make sense in the same way "retarded" does? It doesn't to me. That was my point - calling a presentation "faggoty" could be understood, but is not as correct as calling something "retarded" which actually means slow or deficient.
To all the limey bastards I've insulted for being retardedly uptight about 'murican toilet doors not reaching the floor, y'all were right.
I figured our own home-grown tards would be filled with enough McDonalds or wearing the hockey helmets that would make such a stunt impossible, or at the very least improbable enough that the Special Olympics would ferret out and label the mongoloids that would be capable of a feat like that. Clearly, additional funding for more droolie wranglers is needed.
Can't trust Americans not to shoot up the place if you give them too much privacy. I do my patriotic duty and stand watch through the slit in the door until my fellow patriot leaves the stall.
If someone on the bus starts throwing around nigger or fag in a "humorous, out of context way" is it really asking for too much for someone to say SOMETHING ?
Well /u/King_Krabz the last 100 or so times I've heard those words used IRL it was by people who could probably have been put into those categories, so I just did nothing and ignored them. The other times were in rap videos.
63 comments
n/a marsjazztrio 2017-02-12
I decide what's a slur and what's an insult and fuck you if you disagree, you're a bad person
n/a King-Achelexus 2017-02-12
SRD is full of whiny cunts.
n/a nomad1c 2017-02-12
n/a 18aidanme 2017-02-12
Nah keep it at Whiny Cunts, like a year ago I got dogpiled on SRD when I said calling someone a cunt doesn't matter.
n/a heartfullofhatred 2017-02-12
Its appropriating the culture of Australians.
n/a King_Eirik_Bloodaxe 2017-02-12
And "retard" is mocking the culture of Australians. You really can't win.
n/a Vikernes-chan 2017-02-12
Just like calling an australian a shitposter?
n/a MasterLawlzReborn 2017-02-12
It's one of the most fun insults tbh
n/a Wraith_GraveSpell 2017-02-12
Water is wet. The sky is blue. Whites have no culture. What's new?
n/a Tiammatt 2017-02-12
/u/trashcancasual, for someone really upset about calling people retards, you sure are throwing around "ignorant" a lot. Do you actually think they're ignorant, as in they just don't know better, or are you using it as short hand to call them retarded?
n/a trashcancasual 2017-02-12
I think are willfully ignorant, which is different from just not knowing something. They're choosing to believe slurs aren't real, therefor retard is not a slur. That has no basis in reality, as slurs are as real as anything else we use to communicate whether they believe in them or not.
n/a raps_caucasionally 2017-02-12
No one cares, retard.
n/a trashcancasual 2017-02-12
Someone literally asked.
n/a raps_caucasionally 2017-02-12
No one cares, ignoramus.
n/a Tiammatt 2017-02-12
Maybe they really think that. Maybe something in their biology compels them to not have a lot of patience for sob stories. Why are you going to talk down to them about something biological that they can't change?
n/a trashcancasual 2017-02-12
It isn't a mental illness to decide something isn't true, just because you don't want it to be. A delusion isn't the same as what they're doing.
n/a Tiammatt 2017-02-12
So they honestly can't think that retard isn't a slur unlike stupid or moron? It's impossible?
You need some more empathy in your life, friend.
n/a subpoutine 2017-02-12
Check your neurotypical privilege, cumskin.
n/a trashcancasual 2017-02-12
I'm not neurotypical.
n/a heartfullofhatred 2017-02-12
Yeah, you post on SRD its obvious
n/a trashcancasual 2017-02-12
Relevant username.
n/a Scummy_mofo 2017-02-12
Kill yourself
n/a pepperouchau 2017-02-12
says the /r/drama poster
I mean I post in both so I'm probably considered brain-dead legally
n/a heartfullofhatred 2017-02-12
If someone with downs-syndrome called me a retard he wouldn't be wrong.
n/a Wraith_GraveSpell 2017-02-12
So not only are you retarded, but also a sanctimonious fuck.
n/a subpoutine 2017-02-12
Not denying being a paleface? Reported.
n/a Wraith_GraveSpell 2017-02-12
Reported for white people nonsense.
n/a gigantic_meaty_balls 2017-02-12
We can tell.
n/a zahlman 2017-02-12
What exactly, in your mind, distinguishes a "slur" from other sorts of insults; and why, in your mind, ought other people care about this distinction?
This is not rhetorical. I fully acknowledge that you have some underlying reasoning here which I'm sure you consider valid, and which I might even agree with. But the discussion is only possible if these premises are made explicit.
n/a LadyVetinari 2017-02-12
/u/trashcancasual do ever describe things as "stupid," "crazy," "lame," "dumb," or do you ever call someone or their line of reasoning "idiotic"?
Would you be opposed to someone saying that an arugment is retarded, or a line a reaonining is retarded?
Retard seems to have a legitimate use in English (flame-retardant e.g.) whereas other actual slurs are specific to describing an actual person. (Well, niggardly is a word, but its pretty much extinct).
It seems like the difference between a slur and an insult may have to with the flexibility of the word. And in that way retard seems like more of an insult.
n/a trashcancasual 2017-02-12
I try not to use those, no. But there's a difference between flame retardant and calling someone retarded. As I keep saying, context is what makes it a slur. I really am not up for discussing things on r/drama, for reasons I hope are obvious.
n/a LadyVetinari 2017-02-12
Fair enough. I agree context is important. It just seems like something can be referred to as "retarded" without it being rooted in a belief that mentally disabled people deserve less respect than others. And that has to do with the actual meaning of the word, which is to stymy or slow something.
Whereas if someone uses an ethnic slur, it is more directly hostile to an entire group of people.
E.g. which is worse: "your presentation was like a something a nigger would do" vs. "Your presentation was retarded."
Neither is classy, but one isnt a verbal attack
n/a trashcancasual 2017-02-12
Except it is, and people still use it to mean people with mental disabilities and the like. People use the n slur in friendly ways as well, but that doesn't negate the history and weight behind it, so it's still a slur.
n/a Chicup 2017-02-12
But people with "mental disabilities" are literally retarded. Now that saying retarded is a slur, people have switched to "autistic". Once that get more known and virtue signal, someone will come out with a new one. You solve nothing. Retards are still retards uses as a slur or a literal thing.
n/a LadyVetinari 2017-02-12
You have a point my friend.
P.s. don't worry about responding to any other pings you get from this place, its full igornant individuals
n/a trashcancasual 2017-02-12
Thanks for being nice about this, I appreciate your sincerity.
n/a LadyVetinari 2017-02-12
No problem my friend :)
n/a alarmmightsound 2017-02-12
IGNORANT
n/a jonpaladin 2017-02-12
this is a faulty parallel. "your presentation was like something a retard would do" fits better
n/a LadyVetinari 2017-02-12
No thats part of the point. You can say something and not someone is retarded - something not applicable to slurs, which can only apply to groups of people.
n/a jonpaladin 2017-02-12
n/a LadyVetinari 2017-02-12
But does "faggoty" make sense in the same way "retarded" does? It doesn't to me. That was my point - calling a presentation "faggoty" could be understood, but is not as correct as calling something "retarded" which actually means slow or deficient.
n/a jonpaladin 2017-02-12
replace faggoty with gay
n/a LadyVetinari 2017-02-12
well you're rude
n/a yesiamcorrect 2017-02-12
Followup question: have you ever engaged in group sex while dressed as an anthropomorphic animal of some sort?
n/a trashcancasual 2017-02-12
I have not, and have no plans to.
n/a Assy-McGee 2017-02-12
prude
n/a CirqueDuFuder 2017-02-12
Good, spur of the moment is more fun.
n/a shadowbanned2 2017-02-12
Could you not use that word? My dad died of cancer from inhaling fumes at a factory that produced those. It gives me PTSD to see that phrase.
n/a zahlman 2017-02-12
It also isn't etymologically related to the slur.
n/a ExtreemWeenie 2017-02-12
everything insult is a slur to you when you're human trash
n/a Senator_Chickpea 2017-02-12
At this point I wish to apologize.
To all the limey bastards I've insulted for being retardedly uptight about 'murican toilet doors not reaching the floor, y'all were right.
I figured our own home-grown tards would be filled with enough McDonalds or wearing the hockey helmets that would make such a stunt impossible, or at the very least improbable enough that the Special Olympics would ferret out and label the mongoloids that would be capable of a feat like that. Clearly, additional funding for more droolie wranglers is needed.
n/a Tiammatt 2017-02-12
I saw someone get banned from /r/news or /r/worldnews or something like that for calling someone a mongoloid. The mods said no racist slurs.
fucking lmao
n/a ____________13 2017-02-12
Stop scurvy-shaming.
n/a Senator_Chickpea 2017-02-12
'Scuse me. I meant "orthodontically challenged."
n/a zahlman 2017-02-12
... There are places where it's normal for toilet doors to reach the floor?
n/a Senator_Chickpea 2017-02-12
UK redditors generally go full ye olde rætarde when they find out our bathrooms aren't hermetically sealed cocoons.
n/a Mournhold 2017-02-12
Really seals in the flavor
n/a jonpaladin 2017-02-12
in the us, public bathrooms are essentially kennels
n/a LadyVetinari 2017-02-12
Can't trust Americans not to shoot up the place if you give them too much privacy. I do my patriotic duty and stand watch through the slit in the door until my fellow patriot leaves the stall.
n/a nanonan 2017-02-12
Calling a word a slur is a slur and seeing as slurs are unacceptable so is labelling words as slurs. Checkmate.
n/a ____________13 2017-02-12
I'm pretty sure I could get away with that one.
n/a Senator_Chickpea 2017-02-12
What?
n/a zahlman 2017-02-12
n/a hypnozooid 2017-02-12
I'm pretty sure I could get away with that one.
n/a CirqueDuFuder 2017-02-12
Shocking that people from SRD would throw the word Nazi around.
n/a Faked_Beans 2017-02-12
n/a OnlyRacistOnReddit 2017-02-12
Well /u/King_Krabz the last 100 or so times I've heard those words used IRL it was by people who could probably have been put into those categories, so I just did nothing and ignored them. The other times were in rap videos.