Poll: use of the word 'retarded'

[sirtunic]

I was hoping this would just die out already, but, I guess that was a little hopeful (and pessimistic). It's been around since I was in grade school.

Am I the only one who doesn't like hearing or using the word 'retarded' to describe anything stupid?
It's probably because I've been around my dad's cousin. He's blind, paralyzed, and has a horrible impediment on his speech.

But regardless of that. Am I accomplishing nothing but being a tight ass, should I just leave the whole thing alone?

~edit~
Okay, edit. I know my dad's cousin isn't retarded, but seeing him in such a paralyzed state made me think about it.

 

[Simalacrum]

i vote no, cause i never hear it in the first place. hoping it would die out mate? IT HAS! and good riddance.

 

[joystickjunki3]

I mean, leave it alone. I hate it when it gets overused, but do you ever use the word "gay" to describe something in a negative manner?

 

[Ace of Spades]

Yes. Retarded has become a staple in the vocabularies of so many of the students at my high school, and I get so sick of it when every other word someone says is retard or some form of it.

 

[ContemporaryStudent]

I mean, leave it alone. I hate it when it gets overused, but do you ever use the word "gay" to describe something in a negative manner?

Point, set and Match, right there.

I can't say it bothers me too much, but mainly because I rarely hear it anymore. I'm assuming its an American thing. in London, the most I hear is 'It's Shite'.

 

[Siuss]

YES! Alongside with things being "Gay" to this day I have yet to find a homework assignment with a sexual preference, or any sort of mind...

 

[TerraMGP]

I always have to get on my 12 year old brother for using the word. Unforunately many of his friends are allowd to watch things like carlose mensia and he has picked up some bad habbits from it. Its simply a sign of a very limited vocabulary and overall offensive. The scary thing is that so many people seem to feel that its something ok and that people need to 'relax about it'. I admit sometimes people continue to get overly worked up about things, but at the same time ignoring the hurt words can give and writing it off is just as harmful. This generation is sadly more of the mind of 'who gives a damn' it seems.

 

[goater24]

I was hoping this would just die out already, but, I guess that was a little hopeful (and pessimistic). It's been around since I was in grade school.

Am I the only one who doesn't like hearing or using the word 'retarded' to describe anything stupid?
It's probably because I've been around my dad's cousin. He's blind, paralyzed, and has a horrible impediment on his speech.

Quite obviously you are being retarded. Your fathers causin is handicapped and has difficulties. This is not retardedness, although I can see why you might take that word a little thick!

 

[sirtunic]

i vote no, cause i never hear it in the first place. hoping it would die out mate? IT HAS! and good riddance.

Not where I hail, mate.

I mean, leave it alone. I hate it when it gets overused, but do you ever use the word "gay" to describe something in a negative manner?

That annoys me too, but I can't really do a double subject poll.

 

[Caliostro]

uhh... No.


That's the kind of mentality I hate with all the fibers in my body... I hate it so much I'd make Hitler look like Ghandi... Ok... If you have a problem with what someone's saying, don't talk to them. People who get insulted by the use of words, just because of the word itself, are childish and annoying. There's a lot of words I despise, namely stupid "kiddy" euphemisms like "pee" and "poo"... They're just stupid. But I'm not going to get pissed at someone for using them.

And I'm sorry but I fail to see the relevance of your cousin's being handicapped. Using the word "retarded" does not make your cousin better or worse. The whole "politically correct censorship" is just a condescending attitude we have so we don't feel guilty.

 

[Fanboy]

There are so many more irritating things than that, so I put no. Then again, I'm not in highschool so I'm not surrounded by those kind all day.

It doesn't offend me either, since nobody refers to the mentally handicapped as retarded anymore the word has pretty much lost that meaning and become just another insult.

 

[the_tramp]

I hate the word retard unless it is used correctly.

 

[fluffylandmine]

This generation is sadly more of the mind of 'who gives a damn' it seems.

That's just teen spirit, it's been like this since the late 50s, get over it.

uhh... No.


That's the kind of mentality I hate with all the fibers in my body... I hate it so much I'd make Hitler look like Ghandi... Ok... If you have a problem with what someone's saying, don't talk to them. People who get insulted by the use of words, just because of the word itself, are childish and annoying. There's a lot of words I despise, namely stupid "kiddy" euphemisms like "pee" and "poo"... They're just stupid. But I'm not going to get pissed at someone for using them.

And I'm sorry but I fail to see the relevance of your cousin's being handicapped. Using the word "retarded" does not make your cousin better or worse. The whole "politically correct censorship" is just a condescending attitude we have so we don't feel guilty.

I completely agree with you, and yet I will still find myself censoring myself due to the fact that some of the people in my life that I enjoy having in it tend to have a thin skin about things like using the 'profane' option. I guess I care a little too much about the people around me and their following of the teachings that ___ is bad because we said so.

How did "swear" words even come to the level of disdain they hold now?

 

[sirtunic]

I was hoping this would just die out already, but, I guess that was a little hopeful (and pessimistic). It's been around since I was in grade school.

Am I the only one who doesn't like hearing or using the word 'retarded' to describe anything stupid?
It's probably because I've been around my dad's cousin. He's blind, paralyzed, and has a horrible impediment on his speech.

Quite obviously you are being retarded. Your fathers causin is handicapped and has difficulties. This is not retardedness, although I can see why you might take that word a little thick!

I know he's not. (didn't mean to imply it, but now I see that that's what I'm stating)
When I met him (Rob), seeing his paralyzed state took me aback, and that's when I started thinking about regarding the mentally handicapped.

 

[dead_beat_slacker]

The sad part is Retarded is politically correct when used properly.

 

[xitel]

It's a word. La-dee-freakin-dah. I don't care when people use gay, I don't care when people use retarded. I just think of them as unable to come up with a more intelligent phrase.

 

[TerraMGP]

This generation is sadly more of the mind of 'who gives a damn' it seems.

That's just teen spirit, it's been like this since the late 50s, get over it.

It needs to change, and its creeping up the ladder of age. many people in their mid 20s and even later are doing the same thing. Thats the problem though people insist that others should 'get over it'. If you 'get over it' that just ends up causing more problems because the people don't change.

 

[sirtunic]

uhh... No.


That's the kind of mentality I hate with all the fibers in my body... I hate it so much I'd make Hitler look like Ghandi... Ok... If you have a problem with what someone's saying, don't talk to them. People who get insulted by the use of words, just because of the word itself, are childish and annoying. There's a lot of words I despise, namely stupid "kiddy" euphemisms like "pee" and "poo"... They're just stupid. But I'm not going to get pissed at someone for using them.

And I'm sorry but I fail to see the relevance of your cousin's being handicapped. Using the word "retarded" does not make your cousin better or worse. The whole "politically correct censorship" is just a condescending attitude we have so we don't feel guilty.

Do I sound pissed off at the world? Chill out.