Wikepedia states
“Much like today’s socially acceptable terms idiot and moron, which are also defined as some sort of mental disability, when the term retard is being used in its pejorative form, it is usually not being directed at people with mental disabilities. Instead, people use the term when teasing their friends or as a general insult.”
Is it only a slur if directed at soneone with mental disabilities? Is it a slur if durected at onself?
Whats lemmies take on this?
I’m retarded and I don’t find it offensive
It’s a slur now. Before it was an insult.
One day redneck and hillbilly will be considered slurs too, Mark my words.
The difference is the R word has connotations that are higher on the Allport Scale.
One day redneck and hillbilly will be considered slurs too. Mark my words.
They already are
Once again, I am proven correct!
How did that happen? If it began as an insult how did it morph into a slur? I hate how the alt right goes on about wokism but it seems they have a point.
They changed the underlying medical term, ‘mental retardation’ to ‘developmentally disabled’ in a form of lingual whack-a-mole since the old term was being used as an insult.
Once it lost its meaning as a short form of the medical term, it became a slur, much like we don’t call black people the n-word anymore.
But a black man still has the right to use the N word, and they do. Why can’t I use the word retarded? I’m fucking retarded. Why can’t I say retarded?
Redneck should be a mark of pride if you know it’s origins.
Lookup “Battle of Blair Mountain”
So, actually in the south the term was ‘retargeted’ by the (sub) - urban elite to mean yeoman farmers who worked the fields and had suntan on their necks.
I respect the original term, but the colloquial has reverted to ‘ignorant, racist southerner’, for good or ill.
If you have a better term for it I’m all ears, but it’s not like there isn’t a need for a category given their behavior.
It is, and as an autistic person I hereby give you all the R-word pass
It’s absolutely a slur. And (IMO) one of the worst ones. Nothing infuriates me more.
Let’s go through examples:
“He’s retarded” - that’s a slur, unless it’s ironic.
“That was retarded” - not a slur, cause it’s kinda taking a dig at an action, not a person.
“I’m retarded” - technically a slur but almost always used with a hint of irony, therefore usually not a slur.
That’s how I use the word with my friends. And I have autism, so technically 100 years ago I would have been the resident retard ;)
Utterly incorrect. Irony does not affect whether a thing is a slur or not. It doesn’t matter what you use the slur towards, it remains a slur. Any excuse you use to explain why you can use a slur is exactly that: an excuse.
Youre right that irony doesnt stopbit being a slur, but usage absolutely matters. Unless you think its inexcusable black people using the n word with each other? Context is incredibly important.
Just to make it clear, I am white, so take my opinion on this with a grain of salt.
From what I understand, there isn’t a universal consensus among black communities that the n-word is okay between black people. Some people get just as offended no matter who says it.
Of course, some people are perfectly fine with it, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a slur. It’s still a slur, it’s just not offending anyone at that moment. It’s like an empty gun: it won’t harm anyone, but it’s still a gun.
Any excuse you use to explain why you can use a slur is exactly that: an excuse.
I guess that is what I take issue with, that statement makes it sounds like any use of a slur is always wrong regardless of context and that any reason for using it is just to wiggle out of you being a bad person.
I mean, it might be a good excuse. Doesn’t change the slur.
In Blazing Saddles, the actors playing the racists apologised to their co-stars after every take. They had a damn good excuse to say what they said, but they still apologised for saying it.
What’s wrong with someone having cognitive difficulties? Why do you feel the need to use the word as a descriptor for negative things?
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nothing. I have autism. There’s nothing wrong with me, but I’m obviously a little bit different like other people, which in itself is neither good nor bad.
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because we need a descriptor and that’s just what my friends use; we know what we mean with it and what we don’t.
Also I’m gonna take those questions at face value, but I’m just gonna note the first question is a bit out out of left field, as no one implied that something’s wrong with that.
But I don’t wanna assume you are an asshole, so I’m gonna take it as a misunderstanding.
The way I usually see it playing out is that people usually call things are negative “reatarded” (e.g. “This app is retarded!”, “Wow, I thought that tomato was a fruit, lmao I’m still retarded!”). It just pushes the negative stereotypes associated with it. I don’t know if that’s what you are doing, but that’s how I see a lot of “stop being sensitive bros” do it.
I know its easy to say that every one who hears you talk fully understands precisely what you mean, but do they? I’ve seen stories of people who “ironically” use racial slurs and didn’t realise that it resulted in most of their friends turning out to be actual racists. Likewise, are you pushing away would-be friends who don’t want to associate with people who casually throw out slurs? That’s ignoring the impact of saying it in a public place, where victims of abuse can hear it.
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Everything is wrong unless it’s not, duh. Context is everything!
Yes, it’s explicitly made to compare to people with developmental disorders who are even to this day bullied with this word. Don’t use it.
Is that because such people are properly referred to by that word?
Can you imagine walking up to a stranger in a wheel chair and saying something like; “Hey cripple, your legs don’t work?”
Is cripple a slur? Not really (imo) but you dehumanise someone with words and reduce them to only be their affliction. Eliminating everything about them that might be special and individual.
No it’s because they’re demeaned using it.
They’re not properly referred to by that word. They USED to be referred to by that word back when they (falsely) believed that such disorders made them inferior.
Classifying those who were mentally less-developed as “retarded” became the excuse for a world that would try all types of monstrous experiments, ostensibly in an attempt to “heal them” because this was they only way “those people” could be a use to society; as lab rats for things like lobotomies, electro-shock therapy and any other wacky insanity that the early 20th century had dreamed up.
In effect, while “retarded” was once the so-called medical terminology it very quickly became shorthand for an entire group of people that could be dismissed and used because they’d serve no other purpose otherwise.
Mental retardation is no excuse for abuse. But it’s still an apt term, in denotation. But the connotation has become unacceptable.
A plant’s growth may be retarded due to various conditions, and that may interfere with it’s prospects for survival.
Fire retardant may prevent a fire from starting, or stop one that has started to develop.
But when considering people, there are a whole slew of subtle problems, including that people may include that in their identity, and give up. They can be treated, possibly, but that’s all for them now. You’re a retard. It leaves no room for other things. People still feel this way about some diagnoses that, if they didn’t lean into them so hard, leave plenty of room for change. But the social weight behind “retard” just carries too much crap, and speaks volumes - some of which may be true, but a lot of which is not.
‘Disabled’, ‘undeveloped’, and ‘inhibited’ can be good terms. But most of it depends more heavily on how we treat others and what has been taken into common use.
Slurs should not be excusable when directed at oneself.
For example, if you were to say “I am a retard” in front of someone with a disability, who may have been labeled as such throughout their life, how do you imagine they would feel about that?
Disagreed. As a certified lifelong retard with the papers to back it up medically, I will never relinquish my right to refer to myself however I want. If someone else takes offense, it’s 100% on them.
Remember, offense is always taken, never given.
Exactly. Responsibility always lies with the recipient, you cant blame me for punching your face, its your pain. I didnt rape you, you got yourself raped.
Lol equating words with physical actions. Guess us retards are in good company here. Have a seat.
While you may have the right to call yourself what you want, you shouldn’t use it in an “us” context. At least I wouldn’t be okay with it.
Remember, offense is always taken, never given.
If you believe this idiot semantic nonsense then you really are a retard.
proudly proclaiming that you use slurs… doesn’t mean it’s not a slur
Yes, but, like any language, it can be used in different contexts and with different effects.
You can’t expect a mod to understand context of content they are moderating!
All slurs should be “acceptable”. Words only have the power attributed to them by humans. (Other) humans can choose to wield that power, to change it, or to leave it be. But policing language is never the answer; people will always find ways around it anyway, and 1984 warned us of the results of having language policed to an extensive degree.
I’m sure some cunt will take issue with this stance, so to them I say in advance: suck my goddamn dick from balls to shaft and then go die in a ditch, bitch.
Ok.
Say the N word then.
Go yell it at people.
Do it.
Go on.
People never use the N word, especially black people… NEVER. They would never make YOU uncomfortable when they chat privately 🤡
Ayn Rand here ain’t black
Im sure they are lining up to suck your dick already.
Well, yeah, you’re technically right. Humanity will never have the default restraint and compassion to stop turning words into slurs, though. So we have to police it. Same reason we have… The police at all. People can’t police themselves. We need systems and rules to do that for us.
I think it might be generational. That word has always been part of my vocabulary. I’ve got no problem whatsoever with it, and if I’m being really honest I have a hard time taking it seriously when someone refers to it as “the R word”. I would never use it to refer to someone with an actual intellectual disability - that would be cruel. But normal people who do dumb shit, or even inanimate objects that malfunction? Sure, all the time, because I don’t mean it in a literal way. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Ah yes “the hard R” linus tech tips used to always drop those
Thats my take but ive been banned for calling myself retarded in a comment so idk.
Yes, do not use it.
Language is naturally evolving and changing. I used to use it before because there was a legit biological/ medical/ psychiatrical usage of it (short for “retarded mental growth”). Now, that legitness got buried in the common hate speech we knew today.
To avoid confusion, better just let it go. OR, use it only in convo with a group of med- /bio- nerds.
I take slight issue with every demand to not use a specific word. I think the better advice here would be to simply suggest not calling people names to begin with. It’s not what you call them that’s the issue, but rather the intention to offend in the first place.
So i can call myself the worlds most retarded retard?
fair point, and I totally agree. calling people names they do not consent is crossing the line.
in the medical side of reality, the target of this is never the person but the situation or the problem in question.
for the other side, the target is never clear and would mostly cause confusion.
I think you answered your own question. You asked about “retard”, not about R-word. Some snowflakes will get offended on behalf other people but normal people will just acknowledge rude language and move on.
Well i got a comment deleted from calling myself retared not sure if thats what did it or the providing of facts counter to popular narrative tho.
Mentally unstable mods are all around. I wouldn’t read too much into it unless youw are going around harassing people directly.
Language policing on online message board is 🤡 exercise but we got a crew on it
Man u got no idea. Apparently the mods think its ok to advocate for violence as long as its towards elon musk but nobody else.
mods are not uniform unless you are talking about clown in charge of politics and news subs.
so their modding is generally just reflection of poor reading skills and personal bias.
It was enough musk spam those comments are wild with full on people calling for his death.
That is the r word… It is a slut because you are saying that person has a mental disability and is therefore bad. But you wont read this anyways or give a shit.
To me, it’s no different from idiot and moron. I’ve been watching how the politically correct movement have been making people afraid to use retard. I’m sure they are coming for the words idiot and moron also at some point, and they are going to argue that there is no need to ever use words like that.
Had a reddit post deleted for using retard as a verb, as in, “Have you tried retarding the action, maybe it’s too fast?”
Because people today don’t question what they are being told. Is it a good idea to ban words? I don’t think so.
Most mods don’t have much of reading comprehensive beyond 10th grade tbh.
Good for you that you are privileged enough to say such bullshit. Try making your friends use your name as an insult and see how it feels
Are you retared by the medical definition or are you getting offended on behalf of people who are. Cos the actually retarded people in this thread who have commented have all said they are fine with it.
Think about this for a second. What if I am offended by the word “trumpet” because it reminds me of Trump? Shall we ban that word as well?
You guys who are into banning words don’t seem to realize that there used it be book burnings by the Germans, because they felt what the books said was against their own beliefs. I rather not go down that route because someone is feeling sad about a word.
If you ban retard, they will come up with another word. Don’t you realize that?
If you say it to someone with mental disabilities, yes. If you say it to your friend who’s about to do/just did some retarded shit, it’s not.
What if its directed at my cat?
Then he’s the cutest little retard, yes he is.
