It is obviously very undesireable for someone as influential as PewDiePie to signal it's okay to use the word willy-nilly. But all the comments instantly condemning PewDiePie as clearly racist have it wrong. I've only seen proof he's insensitive and kind of a dick so far. Which is kind of his jazz.
To see where I'm coming from: in my native language, Dutch, the equivalent word "neger" lacks the same connotation as "nigger" does in English. Sure the Dutch kept slaves way back in the day so there's a similar history there, but it just so happens that the word (not the principle of racism or slavery) was normalised over the years and became a pretty inoffensive way to refer to someone with black skin. It's only recently that people have become more sensitive to the word again as we start to realise it's a very bad word in English, which is a language we all speak to some extent nowadays. But Dutch people, when speaking English, will still say "nigger" sometimes and have no idea how it comes across.
PewDiePie, being Swedish, probably doesn't fully realise what it means to use that word. "He really should know better at this point", I hear you think, and you'd be right. But I can understand that using the word doesn't feel as significant as it would to any native speaker. He knows it's not really a good thing (which is why he doesn't use it all the time), but doesn't realise how offensive saying the word even once is to native speakers. It's ignorance.
It's possible he's also racist, I just wouldn't extrapolate that from the use of "nigger" by a non-native speaker. If he used it ten times in a row, then it least it would look like a statement of some sort, a very deliberate choice at the very least. But now he just seems like a kid who doesn't know what's what. As he usually does.
Some of you will likely take issue with my typing out of the "n-word" uncensored, which kind of proves my point: I don't really know where the line is as a non-native speaker. I just feel it's silly to censor it when it's obviously not meant as an insult.
Even if you could argue that your average Joe doesn't know the full connotation of the n-word, this isn't just some average Joe. This is PewDiePie, the biggest streamer in the whole world, with a huge American following, someone who interacts with lots of American people on a daily basis, and someone who already has a history of being generally shitty (constantly using rape "jokes" in his videos, using nazi imagery, the whole "death to all jews" deal).
It is obviously very undesireable for someone as influential as PewDiePie to signal it's okay to use the word willy-nilly. But all the comments instantly condemning PewDiePie as clearly racist have it wrong. I've only seen proof he's insensitive and kind of a dick so far. Which is kind of his jazz.
To see where I'm coming from: in my native language, Dutch, the equivalent word "neger" lacks the same connotation as "nigger" does in English. Sure the Dutch kept slaves way back in the day so there's a similar history there, but it just so happens that the word (not the principle of racism or slavery) was normalised over the years and became a pretty inoffensive way to refer to someone with black skin. It's only recently that people have become more sensitive to the word again as we start to realise it's a very bad word in English, which is a language we all speak to some extent nowadays. But Dutch people, when speaking English, will still say "nigger" sometimes and have no idea how it comes across.
PewDiePie, being Swedish, probably doesn't fully realise what it means to use that word. "He really should know better at this point", I hear you think, and you'd be right. But I can understand that using the word doesn't feel as significant as it would to any native speaker. He knows it's not really a good thing (which is why he doesn't use it all the time), but doesn't realise how offensive saying the word even once is to native speakers. It's ignorance.
It's possible he's also racist, I just wouldn't extrapolate that from the use of "nigger" by a non-native speaker. If he used it ten times in a row, then it least it would look like a statement of some sort, a very deliberate choice at the very least. But now he just seems like a kid who doesn't know what's what. As he usually does.
Some of you will likely take issue with my typing out of the "n-word" uncensored, which kind of proves my point: I don't really know where the line is as a non-native speaker. I just feel it's silly to censor it when it's obviously not meant as an insult.
It is obviously very undesireable for someone as influential as PewDiePie to signal it's okay to use the word willy-nilly. But all the comments instantly condemning PewDiePie as clearly racist have it wrong. I've only seen proof he's insensitive and kind of a dick so far. Which is kind of his jazz.
It is obviously very undesireable for someone as influential as PewDiePie to signal it's okay to use the word willy-nilly. But all the comments instantly condemning PewDiePie as clearly racist have it wrong. I've only seen proof he's insensitive and kind of a dick so far. Which is kind of his jazz.
To see where I'm coming from: in my native language, Dutch, the equivalent word "neger" lacks the same connotation as "nigger" does in English. Sure the Dutch kept slaves way back in the day so there's a similar history there, but it just so happens that the word (not the principle of racism or slavery) was normalised over the years and became a pretty inoffensive way to refer to someone with black skin. It's only recently that people have become more sensitive to the word again as we start to realise it's a very bad word in English, which is a language we all speak to some extent nowadays. But Dutch people, when speaking English, will still say "nigger" sometimes and have no idea how it comes across.
PewDiePie, being Swedish, probably doesn't fully realise what it means to use that word. "He really should know better at this point", I hear you think, and you'd be right. But I can understand that using the word doesn't feel as significant as it would to any native speaker. He knows it's not really a good thing (which is why he doesn't use it all the time), but doesn't realise how offensive saying the word even once is to native speakers. It's ignorance.
It's possible he's also racist, I just wouldn't extrapolate that from the use of "nigger" by a non-native speaker. If he used it ten times in a row, then it least it would look like a statement of some sort, a very deliberate choice at the very least. But now he just seems like a kid who doesn't know what's what. As he usually does.
Some of you will likely take issue with my typing out of the "n-word" uncensored, which kind of proves my point: I don't really know where the line is as a non-native speaker. I just feel it's silly to censor it when it's obviously not meant as an insult.
Pop culture. Sure. Kids grow up listening to American rap without understanding shit, they only really interiorize that you need to drop "nigger" and "fuck" every two words to be cool. They believe it's just slang. If they saw a black American they'd try to approach him using "nigger" thinking they're just being friendly. People use "nigger" trying to immitate what they listen to in music and watch on TV.
We don't study American history at school more than we do Chinese or Russian. Heck, most people struggle trying to remember anything at all about our own. And no swear word will ever have the same impact when it doesn't belong to your own language. More than that, most people will struggle to understand just how loaded just one word can be.
To put it another way, your average European racist isn't as knowledgeable as to go straight to "nigger" when trying to think of a racist slur in English.
These are just the facts, and I know they may be shocking, but don't shoot the messenger. It's just how it is. Not defending anything.
I admit, I used to say 'nigger' and 'faggot' when I was a young teenager in heated gaming moments some 15 years ago. Not proud of it, but it was used in the scenes I was in and people I hung out with. Then I realized 'wow, this is hateful and hurts people', and stopped. You know, because I gained something called empathy.
Dude has had so many 'ah ha' moments and he never learns anything from them. Fuck this guy.
look at this injustice. can you believe he was banned for not caring? all he wanted to do was enter the thread and engage in some discussion about how he doesn't care. and now what? we've lost something important without his viewpoint of not caring.
As someone who's been banned more than once, and is assuredly more "left" than 90% of the people on this site, that's not really true.
If you're vocally right leaning, you will not find much company here. But you won't be banned for it until you start blatantly dogwhistling. Which tends to happen quite often. At least in my experience of not being here pre election season.
There are a lot of conservatives who frequent OT whom I frequently disagree with yet manage to avoid being blatantly disrespectful. And people tend to disagree with me over there a lot.
The opposing viewpoint of "racism is ok" or being an apologist has no right to be a legitimate viewpoint in here. Neogaf is not a democracy, if you have an issue with the site being socially conscious then you can leave for another community.
People get banned for racism, misogyny, and various anti-LGBT stances. The fact that some major political parties have picked those things up as badges of pride is incidental.
I'm not a PoliGAF regular, but I don't see random GAF libertarians getting banned for their economic views in related threads. Even if 90% of the thread is arguing against them. As long as the argument isn't a derail of course.
It is obviously very undesireable for someone as influential as PewDiePie to signal it's okay to use the word willy-nilly. But all the comments instantly condemning PewDiePie as clearly racist have it wrong. I've only seen proof he's insensitive and kind of a dick so far. Which is kind of his jazz.
To see where I'm coming from: in my native language, Dutch, the equivalent word "neger" lacks the same connotation as "nigger" does in English. Sure the Dutch kept slaves way back in the day so there's a similar history there, but it just so happens that the word (not the principle of racism or slavery) was normalised over the years and became a pretty inoffensive way to refer to someone with black skin. It's only recently that people have become more sensitive to the word again as we start to realise it's a very bad word in English, which is a language we all speak to some extent nowadays. But Dutch people, when speaking English, will still say "nigger" sometimes and have no idea how it comes across.
PewDiePie, being Swedish, probably doesn't fully realise what it means to use that word. "He really should know better at this point", I hear you think, and you'd be right. But I can understand that using the word doesn't feel as significant as it would to any native speaker. He knows it's not really a good thing (which is why he doesn't use it all the time), but doesn't realise how offensive saying the word even once is to native speakers. It's ignorance.
It's possible he's also racist, I just wouldn't extrapolate that from the use of "nigger" by a non-native speaker. If he used it ten times in a row, then it least it would look like a statement of some sort, a very deliberate choice at the very least. But now he just seems like a kid who doesn't know what's what. As he usually does.
Some of you will likely take issue with my typing out of the "n-word" uncensored, which kind of proves my point: I don't really know where the line is as a non-native speaker. I just feel it's silly to censor it when it's obviously not meant as an insult.
I dont know if it's sarcasm but it's less about soft or hard version. It's about "context" as some apologists loves to usually say.
Context here is simple. Really the situation is super simple: Guy use the n-word, a racial slur, to insult someone, with a racial slur. "Fuckin n-word" Plain and simple. As racist as it can be.
Sounds like you're crying that you can't be openly Racist, Transphobic, Homophobic, etc.
Racism or Advocating for Genocide isn't a "different point of view" or "political opinion". There's no in between or both sides there. People of color being human beings isn't up for debate.
It is obviously very undesireable for someone as influential as PewDiePie to signal it's okay to use the word willy-nilly. But all the comments instantly condemning PewDiePie as clearly racist have it wrong. I've only seen proof he's insensitive and kind of a dick so far. Which is kind of his jazz.
To see where I'm coming from: in my native language, Dutch, the equivalent word "neger" lacks the same connotation as "nigger" does in English. Sure the Dutch kept slaves way back in the day so there's a similar history there, but it just so happens that the word (not the principle of racism or slavery) was normalised over the years and became a pretty inoffensive way to refer to someone with black skin. It's only recently that people have become more sensitive to the word again as we start to realise it's a very bad word in English, which is a language we all speak to some extent nowadays. But Dutch people, when speaking English, will still say "nigger" sometimes and have no idea how it comes across.
PewDiePie, being Swedish, probably doesn't fully realise what it means to use that word. "He really should know better at this point", I hear you think, and you'd be right. But I can understand that using the word doesn't feel as significant as it would to any native speaker. He knows it's not really a good thing (which is why he doesn't use it all the time), but doesn't realise how offensive saying the word even once is to native speakers. It's ignorance.
It's possible he's also racist, I just wouldn't extrapolate that from the use of "nigger" by a non-native speaker. If he used it ten times in a row, then it least it would look like a statement of some sort, a very deliberate choice at the very least. But now he just seems like a kid who doesn't know what's what. As he usually does.
Some of you will likely take issue with my typing out of the "n-word" uncensored, which kind of proves my point: I don't really know where the line is as a non-native speaker. I just feel it's silly to censor it when it's obviously not meant as an insult.
He literally used it as an insult. And this is hardly the first time he's done this sort of thing (and one certainly couldn't claim that anti-Semitism isn't as big a deal in Europe).
It is obviously very undesireable for someone as influential as PewDiePie to signal it's okay to use the word willy-nilly. But all the comments instantly condemning PewDiePie as clearly racist have it wrong. I've only seen proof he's insensitive and kind of a dick so far. Which is kind of his jazz.
To see where I'm coming from: in my native language, Dutch, the equivalent word "neger" lacks the same connotation as "nigger" does in English. Sure the Dutch kept slaves way back in the day so there's a similar history there, but it just so happens that the word (not the principle of racism or slavery) was normalised over the years and became a pretty inoffensive way to refer to someone with black skin. It's only recently that people have become more sensitive to the word again as we start to realise it's a very bad word in English, which is a language we all speak to some extent nowadays. But Dutch people, when speaking English, will still say "nigger" sometimes and have no idea how it comes across.
PewDiePie, being Swedish, probably doesn't fully realise what it means to use that word. "He really should know better at this point", I hear you think, and you'd be right. But I can understand that using the word doesn't feel as significant as it would to any native speaker. He knows it's not really a good thing (which is why he doesn't use it all the time), but doesn't realise how offensive saying the word even once is to native speakers. It's ignorance.
It's possible he's also racist, I just wouldn't extrapolate that from the use of "nigger" by a non-native speaker. If he used it ten times in a row, then it least it would look like a statement of some sort, a very deliberate choice at the very least. But now he just seems like a kid who doesn't know what's what. As he usually does.
Some of you will likely take issue with my typing out of the "n-word" uncensored, which kind of proves my point: I don't really know where the line is as a non-native speaker. I just feel it's silly to censor it when it's obviously not meant as an insult.
Your whole argument is invalidated, the second you can see his raction after he said, realizing perfectly well how he used that word as an insult, and how loaded the word is....
If every time me and my friends go out and every time we meet up we punch each other in the arm...If I we wanna do that, then we can. If someone else comes up to me and tries punching me...He's probably getting punched in his face.
But you don't put punching into your songs and TV shows do you? I'm not talking about how some people use the word, I'm talking pop culture in general. In China, where I'm from, I can tell you most people don't understand the subtle difference between ending with er or ending with a. Sure their English teacher may tell them it's a bad word. But would you rather believe your fifty year old English teacher or the new song came out last week?
I'm not defending this guy because I'm sure he knows better than a kid in China, but I think Amerucan pop culture is not helping, it's creating confusion.
It is obviously very undesireable for someone as influential as PewDiePie to signal it's okay to use the word willy-nilly. But all the comments instantly condemning PewDiePie as clearly racist have it wrong. I've only seen proof he's insensitive and kind of a dick so far. Which is kind of his jazz.
To see where I'm coming from: in my native language, Dutch, the equivalent word "neger" lacks the same connotation as "nigger" does in English. Sure the Dutch kept slaves way back in the day so there's a similar history there, but it just so happens that the word (not the principle of racism or slavery) was normalised over the years and became a pretty inoffensive way to refer to someone with black skin. It's only recently that people have become more sensitive to the word again as we start to realise it's a very bad word in English, which is a language we all speak to some extent nowadays. But Dutch people, when speaking English, will still say "nigger" sometimes and have no idea how it comes across.
PewDiePie, being Swedish, probably doesn't fully realise what it means to use that word. "He really should know better at this point", I hear you think, and you'd be right. But I can understand that using the word doesn't feel as significant as it would to any native speaker. He knows it's not really a good thing (which is why he doesn't use it all the time), but doesn't realise how offensive saying the word even once is to native speakers. It's ignorance.
It's possible he's also racist, I just wouldn't extrapolate that from the use of "nigger" by a non-native speaker. If he used it ten times in a row, then it least it would look like a statement of some sort, a very deliberate choice at the very least. But now he just seems like a kid who doesn't know what's what. As he usually does.
Some of you will likely take issue with my typing out of the "n-word" uncensored, which kind of proves my point: I don't really know where the line is as a non-native speaker. I just feel it's silly to censor it when it's obviously not meant as an insult.
I was hoping the spoiler block was to say this is all sarcasm and a parody, but you really went all the way into the ignorant-Europeans-don't-know-they're-being-racist angle.
It's ok guys, he was just in the moment. It happens all the time to me too when I get really upset. I just say things tongue and cheek and don't actually mean it! Fuck this lame excuse and fuck you if you think it's ok to talk like this.
It is obviously very undesireable for someone as influential as PewDiePie to signal it's okay to use the word willy-nilly. But all the comments instantly condemning PewDiePie as clearly racist have it wrong. I've only seen proof he's insensitive and kind of a dick so far. Which is kind of his jazz.
To see where I'm coming from: in my native language, Dutch, the equivalent word "neger" lacks the same connotation as "nigger" does in English. Sure the Dutch kept slaves way back in the day so there's a similar history there, but it just so happens that the word (not the principle of racism or slavery) was normalised over the years and became a pretty inoffensive way to refer to someone with black skin. It's only recently that people have become more sensitive to the word again as we start to realise it's a very bad word in English, which is a language we all speak to some extent nowadays. But Dutch people, when speaking English, will still say "nigger" sometimes and have no idea how it comes across.
PewDiePie, being Swedish, probably doesn't fully realise what it means to use that word. "He really should know better at this point", I hear you think, and you'd be right. But I can understand that using the word doesn't feel as significant as it would to any native speaker. He knows it's not really a good thing (which is why he doesn't use it all the time), but doesn't realise how offensive saying the word even once is to native speakers. It's ignorance.
It's possible he's also racist, I just wouldn't extrapolate that from the use of "nigger" by a non-native speaker. If he used it ten times in a row, then it least it would look like a statement of some sort, a very deliberate choice at the very least. But now he just seems like a kid who doesn't know what's what. As he usually does.
Some of you will likely take issue with my typing out of the "n-word" uncensored, which kind of proves my point: I don't really know where the line is as a non-native speaker. I just feel it's silly to censor it when it's obviously not meant as an insult.
You spent all that time thinking out and typin out a response that just shows your bare ass. 30+ pages of why it's not cool to say it and here we are. Should have used some critical thinking instead of making excuses for him. He's a huge YouTube "star", he damn well knew what he was doing when he said it.
This whole thing reminds me of another YouTube group that said the N-word then laughed at it years ago; Video Games Awesome. Just recently they said everyone says something racist with their friends in private to reduce stress. I couldn't believe it. Christ.
