Poll: use of the word 'retarded'

[AuntyEthel]

I use it. I know its politically incorrect, but I still do.

 

[jasoncyrus]

The way I see it the word "Retarded", in my book at least, is used to describe someone either monumentally stupid/lacking common sense, or simply someone who can't use their brain to its full average potential.

Which is why I get to use it a LOT when I'm gaming. Seriously, how hard is it to remember not to stand in the fire...?

And thats the problem. That is not what it means, people get used to thinking of it meaning that. Do you really want to make a genetic flaw that cannot be helped synonymous with people who are just either willfully stupid or lack common sense? Not only is it a bad president, its a bad insult.

It's to symbolise the unsaid statement that they have just done something so incredibly detrimental to themselves/other people important to them, that they may aswell have such a debilitating genetic flaw.

And just to get it out of the way coz we'll end up there anyway. If we simply killed these people off at birth there'd be a lot less use of the word, since it would have a death sentenced attached to it. People would feel kind of guilty using it that often.

EDIT: Don't bother bitching at me about how insenstive, or cruel or blah blah blah you think I am. I know, thats why i said it. Move onto the actual debate of the subject and discuss its pros and cons instead of simply shouting your distaste at the poster like some close minded person from the 1830s.

I understand what the word is being used for, but what I am saying is that it does not justify the use.This is not a debate where there are any pros and cons. There are simply people who are, willfully or not, ignoring the meaning and impact of the word and then complaining about the inconvenience of a slur being a slur. Its a matter of ignoring the overall meaning and impact of a word because the common culture has said its ok. In short its about people being too lazy or jaded to even consider minding their own tong and thinking about what they say a good thing. I am fully considering the people and intent behind the usage by the people who use it, and its depressing as hell. It shows me that every generation cares less than the one before it, and that is upsetting.

Actually I was pre-empting the people who are about to go mental at me for declaring my opinion that any and all retarded people be killed off at birth and/or as soon as its established they are actually retarded. I was encouraging a pros and cons debate on that.

But in reality people wont be able to put aside the quite frankly annoying and pointless argument of "It's a human life". So what? Go protest in Gaza if you feel that strongly.

 

[TerraMGP]

Snipped for total lack of understanding and some frightening ignorance of history.

Yeah, we won't debate that. Go get help kid.

Seriously, go get help.

 

[hypothetical fact]

The way I see it the word "Retarded", in my book at least, is used to describe someone either monumentally stupid/lacking common sense, or simply someone who can't use their brain to its full average potential.

Which is why I get to use it a LOT when I'm gaming. Seriously, how hard is it to remember not to stand in the fire...?

And thats the problem. That is not what it means, people get used to thinking of it meaning that. Do you really want to make a genetic flaw that cannot be helped synonymous with people who are just either willfully stupid or lack common sense? Not only is it a bad president, its a bad insult.

It's to symbolise the unsaid statement that they have just done something so incredibly detrimental to themselves/other people important to them, that they may aswell have such a debilitating genetic flaw.

And just to get it out of the way coz we'll end up there anyway. If we simply killed these people off at birth there'd be a lot less use of the word, since it would have a death sentenced attached to it. People would feel kind of guilty using it that often.

EDIT: Don't bother bitching at me about how insenstive, or cruel or blah blah blah you think I am. I know, thats why i said it. Move onto the actual debate of the subject and discuss its pros and cons instead of simply shouting your distaste at the poster like some close minded person from the 1830s.

I understand what the word is being used for, but what I am saying is that it does not justify the use.This is not a debate where there are any pros and cons. There are simply people who are, willfully or not, ignoring the meaning and impact of the word and then complaining about the inconvenience of a slur being a slur. Its a matter of ignoring the overall meaning and impact of a word because the common culture has said its ok. In short its about people being too lazy or jaded to even consider minding their own tong and thinking about what they say a good thing. I am fully considering the people and intent behind the usage by the people who use it, and its depressing as hell. It shows me that every generation cares less than the one before it, and that is upsetting.

Actually people throughout history have claimed that the younger generation is always worse, but since society hasn't crumbled we all know that belief is just ignorance. You also fail to realise that the only reason the word has any impact is because you believe it does, if everyone stops caring it won't be taboo or insulting in any way. This is the same reason that a woman's nipple is held as some sort of perverted thing to be disgusted at when if everyone stopped being so conservative they would find the nipple to be a complete waste of attention.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Indifference and failure to stand up against something is a form of supporting it. Never give up!

 

[sirtunic]

Snipped.
Actually people throughout history have claimed that the younger generation is always worse, but since society hasn't crumbled we all know that belief is just ignorance. You also fail to realise that the only reason the word has any impact is because you believe it does, if everyone stops caring it won't be taboo or insulting in any way. This is the same reason that a woman's nipple is held as some sort of perverted thing to be disgusted at when if everyone stopped being so conservative they would find the nipple to be a complete waste of attention.

...huh? That's a stupid thing to say. If that's true, then verbal racism wouldn't be a problem if people would only stop being offended by it.


Men like nipples because we're attracted to them. It doesn't get too philosophical after that.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Use of the word retarded shows a lack of imagination. Originality please.

 

[Nation.Skull]

Personally,
I have a mental disorder,
and I have a higher IQ than either of my parents at a grade 12 level, and I'm not in grade 12.
I take it personally because to me,
being "retarded" doesn't mean you're stupid.
If they call someone a retard,
that's offensive.
If they call inanimate objects stupid, then I take no offense.

 

[s0denone]

It's a euphemism for "stupid" like gay is a euphemism for "lame".

Get over it, (almost) everyone else has.

Personally,
I have a mental disorder,
and I have a higher IQ than either of my parents at a grade 12 level, and I'm not in grade 12.
I take it personally because to me,
being "retarded" doesn't mean you're stupid.
If they call someone a retard,
that's offensive.
If they call inanimate objects stupid, then I take no offense.

IQ has nothing to do with intellect, it has to do with logical thinking, often applied in mathematics. Apart from that, IQ is useless.

I could have an IQ of 160 but still be a parasite on society because my other intelligences would be shit.

 

[BallPtPenTheif]

The word "retarded" has been applied to too far of a broad spectrum of things and idividuals that its usage fails as a functional descriptive term.

Much like the use of the word "gay", "retarded" fails at evoking the extreme or minimal nature of something leaving a vague hole where there should have been an idea.

 

[jasoncyrus]

Snipped for total lack of understanding and some frightening ignorance of history.

Yeah, we won't debate that. Go get help kid.

Seriously, go get help.

My point exactly, you seem to lack the ability to look past the humanity aspect and actually debate the pros and cons of something.

It seems like you are the one who actually needs help my friend. Glad you don't run the country, we'd be commies within 5 seconds if you did it seems.

 

[barryween]

I said no. We always say gay and retard. Not being a homophobe or any thing like that either.
Gay when used in a certain manner has changed meanings (so has retard).
Retard: Mentaly chalenged. OR Utterly stupid.
Gay: Attracted to same sex. OR Lame, not right
The second is the "new" Meaning.

 

[Nation.Skull]

It's a euphemism for "stupid" like gay is a euphemism for "lame".

Get over it, (almost) everyone else has.

Personally,
I have a mental disorder,
and I have a higher IQ than either of my parents at a grade 12 level, and I'm not in grade 12.
I take it personally because to me,
being "retarded" doesn't mean you're stupid.
If they call someone a retard,
that's offensive.
If they call inanimate objects stupid, then I take no offense.

IQ has nothing to do with intellect, it has to do with logical thinking, often applied in mathematics. Apart from that, IQ is useless.

I could have an IQ of 160 but still be a parasite on society because my other intelligences would be shit.

Okay,
so my point is thus proven.
"Retarded" is shown to say someone is stupid, or a decision was stupid, right?
Decisions are based on logical thinking, which would show that I think logically with a high IQ in your post.

So, calling someone retarded would mean they're "durr-durr, I don't know left" and most of the time people who are called retarded, it's because they did something illogical to the person calling them retarded. Like, in class the other day, a classmate said "OH, THAT MEANS I CAN READ AND WRITE?" at the word "Literate" and we laughed because she said she didn't know what it meant, nor could she spell it.
Someone called her retarded, because to people at a certain INTELLEGENCE LEVEL, NOT KNOWING SOMTHING IS ILLOGICAL AND STUPID.

Edit: You also said that "get over it, almost everyone else has"
I agree, most people take it wayyy too personally,
I just hate being called retarded, or people impersonating someone called retarded by thumping their hand against their chest and going "DUURRR DURRRR"
That's where I draw the line. Simply saying "that was retarded" doesn't really bug me.

 

[barryween]

It's a euphemism for "stupid" like gay is a euphemism for "lame".

Get over it, (almost) everyone else has.

Personally,
I have a mental disorder,
and I have a higher IQ than either of my parents at a grade 12 level, and I'm not in grade 12.
I take it personally because to me,
being "retarded" doesn't mean you're stupid.
If they call someone a retard,
that's offensive.
If they call inanimate objects stupid, then I take no offense.

IQ has nothing to do with intellect, it has to do with logical thinking, often applied in mathematics. Apart from that, IQ is useless.

I could have an IQ of 160 but still be a parasite on society because my other intelligences would be shit.

Yes just what I was trying to say (s0denone) and please dont take ofense to it Nation.Skull. People just mean really stupid as in "that game is retarded (at least thats how i use it.)

 

[Nation.Skull]

Yes just what I was trying to say (s0denone) and please dont take ofense to it Nation.Skull. People just mean really stupid as in "that game is retarded (at least thats how i use it.)

See, as I said, inanimate objects like videogames I don't take offense to. As I said in the original post.

 

[barryween]

i deleted this comment due to messyness.

 

[barryween]

Yes just what I was trying to say (s0denone) and please dont take ofense to it Nation.Skull. People just mean really stupid as in "that game is retarded (at least thats how i use it.)

See, as I said, inanimate objects like videogames I don't take offense to. As I said in the original post.

Okay I gotchya. But i do say it to people (are you retarded) but I say it to people i know arnen't mentally handi capped in any way. So as long as you arn't saying it to someone like seriously (calling a "special" Person retarded) I dont see the big deal (not saying you have a big deal im just saying about others)

 

[s0denone]

It's a euphemism for "stupid" like gay is a euphemism for "lame".

Get over it, (almost) everyone else has.

Personally,
I have a mental disorder,
and I have a higher IQ than either of my parents at a grade 12 level, and I'm not in grade 12.
I take it personally because to me,
being "retarded" doesn't mean you're stupid.
If they call someone a retard,
that's offensive.
If they call inanimate objects stupid, then I take no offense.

IQ has nothing to do with intellect, it has to do with logical thinking, often applied in mathematics. Apart from that, IQ is useless.

I could have an IQ of 160 but still be a parasite on society because my other intelligences would be shit.

Okay,
so my point is thus proven.
"Retarded" is shown to say someone is stupid, or a decision was stupid, right?
Decisions are based on logical thinking, which would show that I think logically with a high IQ in your post.

So, calling someone retarded would mean they're "durr-durr, I don't know left" and most of the time people who are called retarded, it's because they did something illogical to the person calling them retarded. Like, in class the other day, a classmate said "OH, THAT MEANS I CAN READ AND WRITE?" at the word "Literate" and we laughed because she said she didn't know what it meant, nor could she spell it.
Someone called her retarded, because to people at a certain INTELLEGENCE LEVEL, NOT KNOWING SOMTHING IS ILLOGICAL AND STUPID.

Ignoring the fact that not all decisions are based on logical thinking, not all decisions at all; Let's continue.

If what you say is true, you move from my "Euphemism" perspective: You need to check up on the word I used, as you don't seem to know what it means. Excuse me for sounding condescending. A euphemism is a substitute word, exchanging a harsh word with an arguably less harsh one, with the overall same overall meaning.

"You're stupid."
"You're retarded."

I never claimed that retarded was used correctly in such context, I merely stated that it had become a euphemism.

If we move ahead from this standpoint, that retarded means stupid, then retarded is subjective. To you, the girl in your class might be stupid, but to someone else she might seem smart and thus not be retarded. If this was true, everyone would be retarded, since at this point everyone is, by subjective definition, stupid.

This would deprive all meaning from the word, and as such make it obsolete. You claim to be offended by the word, and as such it is not obsolete. For you it represents values other than "stupid", and as such it is a poorly-chosen/failed euphemism. Much like "gay" is a ridiculous euphemism for "lame".

I dont get your logic in that, are you saying people who call others retards usually mean low IQ, but (for lack of a better word) retards, can have high IQ?

Could you paraphrase that? I just can't extract what you mean.

 

[barryween]

Use of the word retarded shows a lack of imagination. Originality please.

Yeah I know. But sometimes you just blurt it out.

 

[Nation.Skull]

To: barryween

[Creating new post because it was hard to follow the messy one.]

That's ironic, actually. hahahaha

I'm saying just because someone is mentally handicapped, doesn't mean they are under this stereotype they thump their chest and go "durr durr." That's what offends me.

So, when a person who lacks intelligence is called retarded, that's offensive to me because not everyone who is retarded is lacking intelligence.

People who used the word "retarded" are probably using the word because after hearing it so much, it rubs off, just like "fuck" does after age 8. I have no problem with people who use the word, but it does occasionally offend me.


So, if we all learned to use a term when it's not offensive to someone, like at inanimate objects or decisions, then it wouldn't be offensive.
Remember, Einstein was techincally "retarded"