Well, I don't think the lyric means let's all lol about people with mental disabilities and make light of their situation. It was about yeah let's slow shit down and have a good time.
If you're saying "you're a retard" then yeah it's offensive.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Is the "R-slur" becoming more accepted in Trump's America?
- Thread starter Poor GRIMES
- Start date
- Status
Well, I don't think the lyric means let's all lol about people with mental disabilities and make light of their situation. It was about yeah let's slow shit down and have a good time.
If you're saying "you're a retard" then yeah it's offensive.
Jangowuzhere
Banned
I guess, but I don't really see that as the most appropriate comparison. Gay is an actual legitimate term that is used today. People using that word wrongly are poisoning it in shitty ways.
We don't call people who have Intellectual disabilitys these days "retards." That slang or insult is basically divorced from its original intent at this point and has taken on a different meaning and context.
I don't know, this really isn't a hill to die on for me, I just don't find it super shocking or overly offensive when I hear someone say it. I feel like they're other more common insults and slang that are far more offensive and questionable.
Hey, I have Autism. The term retard does offend me. Not everyone is super smart or has a regular brain you know.
Emerson
May contain jokes =>
that is not what the lyric means lol
Poor GRIMES
Banned
Well, what context is it being used in nowadays?
I thought the censored version was "let's get it started."
as someone who routinely gets shat on for "radical leftist views" this is weird.
The reality is a lot of people are more conservative on specific issues than their tacky self labeling would imply
Knowingly and unashamedly diminishing groups other than yourself, particularly those that are vulnerable, is the hallmark of the alt-right.
Dude the Black Eye Peas weren't talking about taking it slow with that song. Are you serious with this?
Same. I see people calling it out far more often
Have you seen right policies and alignments lately?
'Relentless unpalatability' comes to mind
Yes.
Having friends still in college, I meet a lot of people who are even just two or three years younger than me that still use that language.
A lot of people on the gaming side heavily use really shitty language to describe things or people as being: "cancer" or "autistic". Like these are people with lots of friends too. Probably not a network I'd associate with but it's still prevalent.
A lot of people on the gaming side heavily use really shitty language to describe things or people as being: "cancer" or "autistic". Like these are people with lots of friends too. Probably not a network I'd associate with but it's still prevalent.
CarpeDeezNutz
Member
Is this what people mean when they use the term "purity test"?
Have not used the word since high school, I worked with special ed needs kids when I was younger. Felt really shitty when I thought about it and never used it since.
Well let's get fucked up and let's slow shit down and have a good time pretty much mean the same thing to me. Either way it's not about offending a group of people and it's being used as a verb, not a noun.
Emerson
May contain jokes =>
It means essentially 'let's get silly' or 'let's get stupid'
It's using 'retarded' exactly how people don't want it to be used.
Duane Cunningham
Member
I mean, like any other societal shift in acceptability of specific terminology, it doesn't happen all at once, and varies wildly by geography and other cultural segments. Some never did get the memo on that, obviously.
As to whether there's some backsliding on inclusiveness and sensitivity in general since those heady pre-Trump days of... six months ago and prior (holy shit
)? I dunno, probably a bit. I think the sample size is too small so far, though.
Also, remember that the fall of the term "retarded" is fairly recent. As a clinical term it WAS the proper term just 20-30 years ago. I assure you, every "very special episode" in the 80's dealing with the subject certainly used it. As slang, it and the noun version "retard" was probably hitting its expiration date not too long after that, though.
As to whether there's some backsliding on inclusiveness and sensitivity in general since those heady pre-Trump days of... six months ago and prior (holy shit
)? I dunno, probably a bit. I think the sample size is too small so far, though.Also, remember that the fall of the term "retarded" is fairly recent. As a clinical term it WAS the proper term just 20-30 years ago. I assure you, every "very special episode" in the 80's dealing with the subject certainly used it. As slang, it and the noun version "retard" was probably hitting its expiration date not too long after that, though.
Gordon Shumway
Banned
Retarded I've heard since I was a kid many moons ago..noticing people using autistic and Aspergers as an insult past couple of years tho..
Duane Cunningham
Member
Not to nitpick, but... adjective.
7DollarHagane
Banned
There's lots of people who don't consider it as a slur or offensive.
Just like they don't consider mentally handicapped to be really people in some ways.
Just like they don't consider mentally handicapped to be really people in some ways.
Tragicomedy
Member
Dumbass has never had an association with a disability. So unless you're specifically singling out individuals with, say, Crohn's disease or IBD, the term is a juvenile insult and nothing more.
Retard has a very different history and is painful to people with intellectual disabilities, like my son.
There is like one line about going slow in the lyrics and like a dozen about getting stupid, disconnecting from intellect, and so on.
WiseguyMVP
Member
Blame Chump
2Smashed4U
Banned
It's kinda strange because as mentioned, "retardation" isn't really a clinical term at this point, so the 4chan crowd moved onto a more specific, actual clinical term.
Well I mean, it ain't exactly inoffensive
postmodernism
Banned
i hope this isn't controversial, but most of the comments i've seen so far are way, way more monocle-popping than how i still continue to hear this term used, even in extremely liberal areas of the united states. you must be willing to understand that meaning and usage of words can change, even if historically they've been used to unfairly label people or ideas.
the accepted meaning of this term in description of an idea has nothing to do with the belittlement of people whose mental ability has been, through biology, hindered. it's your right to take a word's usage out of context and get offended, but you'll need to understand when your offense is literally incomprehensible to many others because they literally didn't say anything that matches your description of the offense.
by the same token, we should all collectively lose our shit that televisions openly use the word 'mute' as a function to instantly zero sound, when that's been used as a derogatory term for those unable to speak in the past.
i figured this was a pretty common understanding of how language adapts and evolves but please correct me if i'm wrong.
the accepted meaning of this term in description of an idea has nothing to do with the belittlement of people whose mental ability has been, through biology, hindered. it's your right to take a word's usage out of context and get offended, but you'll need to understand when your offense is literally incomprehensible to many others because they literally didn't say anything that matches your description of the offense.
by the same token, we should all collectively lose our shit that televisions openly use the word 'mute' as a function to instantly zero sound, when that's been used as a derogatory term for those unable to speak in the past.
i figured this was a pretty common understanding of how language adapts and evolves but please correct me if i'm wrong.
Goose_Se7en
Banned
When I was younger I would use retard regularly when making fun of friends. I don't use it at much anymore, and I don't hear it used as often as I did back in high school. In undergrad I don't think I ever heard students or friends use it to be insulting. I would use it often after doing something stupid or being clumsy, like "oops sorry just had a retard moment".
I wouldn't consider it a slur, then again it depends on the context. It's just words folks, they can't physically hurt you.
Same thing as gay. I don't think I ever used it to insult someone as in "you're gay" i.e. homosexual. It was always like "this is soooo gay" as in boring, lame etc.
I think as you grow up you speak differently and broaden your vocab. I don't think I'd say "this is gay" when I find something to be lame. Not because I'm worried about offending anyone (that's their problem) but because I just don't use that word anymore.
I wouldn't consider it a slur, then again it depends on the context. It's just words folks, they can't physically hurt you.
Same thing as gay. I don't think I ever used it to insult someone as in "you're gay" i.e. homosexual. It was always like "this is soooo gay" as in boring, lame etc.
I think as you grow up you speak differently and broaden your vocab. I don't think I'd say "this is gay" when I find something to be lame. Not because I'm worried about offending anyone (that's their problem) but because I just don't use that word anymore.
The way I see it is people are saying not to use it and why they don't use it, including in this very thread, then why use it?
We don't call those people retards precisely because the word was poisoned, just like spastic. But it doesn't mean the connection has gone and the best way to wipe that out, that there is something inherently negative about a group of people, is to wipe it out.
Also people said the same things about gay, but that it now had another meaning and it wasn't connected at all. Disingenuous as all hell.
Is anyone THAT attached to the word retard? Just let it go, you won't miss it.
watch out we got a trailblazer over here
Garrett Hawke
Member
parrotbeak
Member
Real estate agent and semi-retired MMA potty mouth legend Al Iaquinta said it and then quickly apologized mid-sentence, retracted it and said "stupid" instead while he otherwise eloquently deconstructed the politics of UFC fighter compensation on MMA Hour this week. I thought that was surprisingly progressive considering his line of work.
2Smashed4U
Banned
Don't agree. People know not to be blatant about their shit here, but it still shines through. Just take this thread for example.
So just ignore the context many people are giving because words change over time? I feel this argument is so out there when talking about these things as it ignores the history of a word to talk about how things change over time. So ignoring history to talk about it like it doesn't matter.
The fact you were using the term gay as you were at all was insulting and offensive to the gay community.
CrimsonSquall
Member
My whole friend group calls each other gooks, kikes, niggers, spics and beaners. But we actually catch ourselves occassionally when we say faggot (as our good friend is gay so not trying to single him out) but definitely reprimand each other for saying the r word.
For some reason that's the only word that lost it's zing and is just too purposefully offensive for us.
For some reason that's the only word that lost it's zing and is just too purposefully offensive for us.
Poor GRIMES
Banned
I mean...I'm American and I'm talking about how I hear it being used a lot in America so...y'all Aussies think you are uniquely thick skinned or something rofl
sensui-tomo
Member
i dont think its getting accepted, but i remember this tidbit from Rick and Morty
Context: Sister's boss is the literal devil and has items that are like genie wishes, 1/4 do what you want, 3/4 fuck you over.
Context: Sister's boss is the literal devil and has items that are like genie wishes, 1/4 do what you want, 3/4 fuck you over.
Garrett Hawke
Member
Goose_Se7en
Banned
enixbelmont
Member
I don't think it's going to go away - I actually think it's going to go the way of the words lame and dumb and actually become MORE acceptable. And it probably should - it's not a medical term anymore and as time goes on and people don't remember being considered retarded(since it's not a medical term), it will just mean stupid, the way people use it.
The people who were using it to be offensive assholes(the alt right mostly) already moved onto Autistic, as if their intentions could not be made more clear.
Retarded has been part of teenagers and kids vocabulary for years, and most people don't mean offense. I think those that do have moved on like I said.
The people who were using it to be offensive assholes(the alt right mostly) already moved onto Autistic, as if their intentions could not be made more clear.
Retarded has been part of teenagers and kids vocabulary for years, and most people don't mean offense. I think those that do have moved on like I said.
One of the few bad words that I actively took out of my vocabulary. When I was young and stupid I used it far too often. I've completely cut it out along with using gay as a derogatory term. Not proud of it in the least but I can admit it. I still probably swear too often but now it's limited to the left offensive ones, "fuck, shit, etc"
It's a word that I childishly wish wasn't offensive because of how fun it sounds to say - for some reason the way my tongue moves to say it just feels pleasant. It's one of those words where I have no issue pronouncing it and it's super fun to say.
Buuut given how it can offend people, I don't ever use it anymore. Think I used it for a couple months when I was learning English then I understood that it wasn't exactly a word people liked. Don't think I ever actually used it to refer to other people, though friend of mine and I liked to "ironically" call ourselves retards because of our learning disabilities. We always had a laugh over it and I kinda miss that.
But bun as some words sound, it gets a lot less fun when I think of how uncomfortable people get because of it. So yeah I just don't touch the word anymore.
Buuut given how it can offend people, I don't ever use it anymore. Think I used it for a couple months when I was learning English then I understood that it wasn't exactly a word people liked. Don't think I ever actually used it to refer to other people, though friend of mine and I liked to "ironically" call ourselves retards because of our learning disabilities. We always had a laugh over it and I kinda miss that.
But bun as some words sound, it gets a lot less fun when I think of how uncomfortable people get because of it. So yeah I just don't touch the word anymore.
People seem to think because people aren't showing personal animosity to people somehow doesn't make it insulting or offensive. You're missing the point and I know a ton of young people who hate the word. I've seen people fired for using it in the workplace.
postmodernism
Banned
i addressed that, and now you're no longer able to use the mute button on your TV remote.
if you examine some commonly brought up terms in these arguments -
dumb: formerly derogatory term for those unable to speak, much like mute. now commonly much in the same way 'retarded' is as an adjective.
gay: originally used to describe the over-joyed, now controversially bandied about as an accepted descriptor for homosexuals, and/or use as a derogatory term for homosexuals AND used in similar contexts as dumb or retarded.
sure, someone's ignoring history context. most can't go back more than 30 seconds when trying to formulate an argument around it. human history is longer than the current outrage.
Tragicomedy
Member
Did you really just say you aren't trying to be controversial then describe us as out of touch "monocle" wearing elites? Your first sentence is a mess but I'm trying to understand what else you're aiming for there.
Tossing literally into your post doesn't make your point literal. As in, I don't know anyone who would LITERALLY find the public use of the word "retard" incomprehensible. They might take the approach you are here and play the whole, "no, I meant it in a different context card" or the "I'll speak as I please" number. And that's their prerogative. People are free to say offensive things in this country. But they aren't always free of the consequences when they do so.
Your Fisher Price My First Analogy reference to "mute" is the reddest of herrings. I kenched at your attempt to jargogle us on this topic.
People are still very much sensitive and easily insulted over the use of that word. Right here and now in the present, not 50 years ago or 50 years in the future. You can tell me how words change and I'll tell you what that word mean today and now for a lot of people and its not something they like or consider positive. As I said you ignore history to talk about history. Context is key.
When you look into the history of the term, and how it was specifically chosen to be the least offensive term they could possibly think of to describe the illness, yet it still eventually turned into an insult I really don't think you can stop anything you call that disability from turning into an insult eventually. You're just going to end up playing verbal wack a mole every decade or so because people are just absolutely not going to stop calling each other some form of dumb. Even that term, originated as a word to describe the deaf. Idiot is another, ,used to describe epileptics.
It just seems like a lost cause. A noble fight for sure, but it just seems never ending cycle of insults are going to come and go regardless of what anyone does. Even now that people have slowed on retarded you just have "slow" filling the void left to replace it.
It just seems like a lost cause. A noble fight for sure, but it just seems never ending cycle of insults are going to come and go regardless of what anyone does. Even now that people have slowed on retarded you just have "slow" filling the void left to replace it.
- Status