Why are people so afraid of words?

[Trillovinum]

words? did anyone mention words? *shake* *shake* *shiver*

aah! words! stay away! stay away! *cupboard door slamming shut*

*frantic whispers* no words here, no... I'm not afraid of them, no... just sneak right up to you and bite your face off... won't get me... no not me...

*heavy breathing* WORDS!!!

*screaming, kicking*
*silence*

 

[C. Cain]

But this is where it comes to whether or not a word can be offensive. If nobody was offended by the word ******, it wouldn't be offensive. That's what happens when groups 'reclaim' words. As you pointed out, black people call each other ******, so have gone partway to making the word inoffensive, but still give it power by taking offence if others use it.

Perhaps it's not necessarily the offensiveness (or lack thereof) per se, but rather the feeling that certain words are simply distasteful? I, for instance, am perfectly willing to offend people, but I'd rather not use any curse words to do so. It just seems cheap.

 

[b3nn3tt]

As words very purpose is to carry meaning, frequently one with an emotional component- in this case the meaning is fairly innocent but the emotional component is derogatory and insulting.

So yes it is normal to be offended by them- no words are just words, if that was true they'd be useless.

The way I see it, though, it's context that makes words offensive. Saying that words have no inherent offensiveness is not the same as saying they have no meaning. It is context that makes words offensive, not anything to do with the word itself.

 

[b3nn3tt]

But this is where it comes to whether or not a word can be offensive. If nobody was offended by the word ******, it wouldn't be offensive. That's what happens when groups 'reclaim' words. As you pointed out, black people call each other ******, so have gone partway to making the word inoffensive, but still give it power by taking offence if others use it.

Perhaps it's not necessarily the offensiveness (or lack thereof) per se, but rather the feeling that certain words are simply distasteful? I, for instance, am perfectly willing to offend people, but I'd rather not use any curse words to do so. It just seems cheap.

Exactly. It all comes down to the individual. The words themselves have no intrinsic offensiveness to them, it all depends on how the speaker/writer uses the words and how the listener/reader receives them. You don't wish to use curse words, not because of any particular property of them but because of how you view them

 

[MasterOfWorlds]

I don't have a problem with words, but I do have a problem when some people can use certain words, and others can't. ****** is a prime example, because if you're white and say it (I'm white by the way), you're immediately considered racist, and there's no argument you can make to defend yourself because of the history behind that word. You'd think "slave" or "servant" would have taken on the same negative meaning, but no, it's the word "******" for whatever reason.

You shouldn't allow a specific group of people to use a word and not let others. The really sad thing is that it's not a codified rule. It's a social control that says, "Society (with a few exceptions as is always the case) dislikes the use of Word A by Group A." and because of that, you can't really get away with it.

It would seem to me that by disallowing a group of people the use of one or more words, you're simply furthering the divide between the two groups. When your languages become so different that one begins to have a difficult time undersanding the other (ie, well educated vs uneducated, different countries, etc etc) you increase the separation of the groups and decrease understanding.

In short, I agree with you, OP. XD

 

[tombman888]

"Hey ****" is a generally accepted greeting in Australia.

I usually prefer to greet with "Oi shithead!"

 

[C. Cain]

Exactly. It all comes down to the individual. The words themselves have no intrinsic offensiveness to them, it all depends on how the speaker/writer uses the words and how the listener/reader receives them. You don't wish to use curse words, not because of any particular property of them but because of how you view them

I agree. I figure it's not the fear of the words themselves, but rather the fear to incur a stigma by using them. We know there are people who find these words offensive regardless of context or intention (as irrational as that may be), so we might just as well protect ourselves from their (pointless) indignation by preemptive self-censorship. If we are so inclined, that is.

 

[Macgyvercas]

The Escapist has never had a no-swearing policy as far as I'm aware.

They sort of have one, but it's extrodinarily lax. I talked to Spinwhiz about it once. Basically he said that if, say, I were to read an article abot Fox News and then call them a bunch of assholes, that would be okay, but if I go into a profanity laden tirade with a curse every other word, then I'd be in trouble.

Basically, mild to moderate swearing (as long as it's not directed at anyone) is generally permissable.

 

[AndyFromMonday]

It all depends on the context. The official community guidelines state that swear words may be used freely except in cases where they are purposefully used to insult a member of this site. So for example, saying fuck, ******, ****, dyke, *****, etc. is perfectly acceptable but calling someone a fuckhead is not. Then again, calling someone stupid won't necessarily get you banned but calling someone a fucking moron will. It's funny because both expressions insinuate stupidity and yet one is treated as more offensive than the other.

tl;dr: Don't call people morons and you should be fine.

 

[b3nn3tt]

Exactly. It all comes down to the individual. The words themselves have no intrinsic offensiveness to them, it all depends on how the speaker/writer uses the words and how the listener/reader receives them. You don't wish to use curse words, not because of any particular property of them but because of how you view them

I agree. I figure it's not the fear of the words themselves, but rather the fear to incur a stigma by using them. We know there are people who find these words offensive regardless of context or intention (as irrational as that may be), so we might just as well protect ourselves from their (pointless) indignation by preemptive self-censorship. If we are so inclined, that is.

But that's exactly the kind of mindset that leads to issues with political correctness. Everyone gets so terrified of the possibility of offending people that they decide it would be best to just not allow certain things.

 

[EmzOLV]

I have no concern with writing the words down, but then I cause its just considerate to realise that whereas I may be numb to the words in whatever context they may be in, other people might be offended by them.

I mean, to me, something less offensive like the word turnip would be just as offensive to me as any of the words in that thread if the context was super angry/offensive towards me. Such as "you are a complete and utter turnip". For example.

I guess its just considerate and polite.

 

[Lukeje]

The Escapist has never had a no-swearing policy as far as I'm aware.

They sort of have one, but it's extrodinarily lax. I talked to Spinwhiz about it once. Basically he said that if, say, I were to read an article abot Fox News and then call them a bunch of assholes, that would be okay, but if I go into a profanity laden tirade with a curse every other word, then I'd be in trouble.

Basically, mild to moderate swearing (as long as it's not directed at anyone) is generally permissable.

Yeah, I suppose that just falls under the `don't be a dick' policy.

 

[Matt Hancox]

The word "assumption" touched me as a child.

 

[Macgyvercas]

The Escapist has never had a no-swearing policy as far as I'm aware.

They sort of have one, but it's extrodinarily lax. I talked to Spinwhiz about it once. Basically he said that if, say, I were to read an article abot Fox News and then call them a bunch of assholes, that would be okay, but if I go into a profanity laden tirade with a curse every other word, then I'd be in trouble.

Basically, mild to moderate swearing (as long as it's not directed at anyone) is generally permissable.

Yeah, I suppose that just falls under the `don't be a dick' policy.

I'm amazed at how useful that policy can be, really.

 

[Zeema]

"Hey ****" is a generally accepted greeting in Australia.

Haha, seriously? If I ever try it out and get my head smashed in I'll be blaming you.

i live in Aus and thats tru round where i live

i hate how people have to use such negative words to communicate to each other

but what ever happened to Sticks and Stones

 

[funguy2121]

I've just been browsing this thread:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.316255-Poll-Which-is-the-most-offensive-N-word-or-C-word?page=1

and the number of people who are afraid to just write words out is astonishing. As several people on that thread have pointed out, words hold no intrinstic offensive value; it is how words are used and received that make them offensive.

For example, I see nothing wrong with asking 'Which word is more offensive, **** or ******?' because I'm not directing those words at anyone in particular, nor am I using them in an insulting context. However, I wouldn't use the word ****** when addressing or describing someone, as that could easily offend. Again, I see no problem with that last sentence because it's not directed at anyone in particular, it's just an example.

So why are people so very afraid to write down words in order to discuss them? Is it simply the fear of offending someone, or is there more to it than that?

Well, most of the people who use those words at all actually use them in context, unlike you or I. In other words, most people who use those words do so because they're racist, sexist bigots.

 

[C. Cain]

But that's exactly the kind of mindset that leads to issues with political correctness. Everyone gets so terrified of the possibility of offending people that they decide it would be best to just not allow certain things.

It is a slippery slope, I agree. But I was just trying to figure out the reasons behind such behaviour; I wasn't condoning it. Although jumping from self-censorship to banning certain words for everyone is not a given, either.

 

[Danny Ocean]

So why are people so very afraid to write down words in order to discuss them? Is it simply the fear of offending someone, or is there more to it than that?

You're a naive infantile moron if you think that people shouldn't be offended or belittled by words directed at them. Despite what you might think, it is perfectly logical. To suggest otherwise is to suggest that words don't have power, which is obviously incorrect and idiotic. You'd have to be a socially retarded game-playing basement-dweller not to see that.
See what I did there? You're feeling worse now.
The reason the OP and others were so tetchy was probably a mix of several things:

1) They were unsure of The Escapist's swearing policy.
2) They've been raised not to use those words except in the most extreme circumstances; discussing them is not extreme.
3) They want to preserve the impact of the words by using them as little as possible; use them too much and people become desensitised.
4) They hold themselves to higher standards.
5) They want to avoid offending people.

 

[Engarde]

"Hey ****" is a generally accepted greeting in Australia.

Haha, seriously? If I ever try it out and get my head smashed in I'll be blaming you.

Not all people may take it as lightly as some do... haha.

Just the other day I had a man I'd never met greet me with "**** of a day, eh?". Only in Australia!

 

[C. Cain]

i live in Aus and thats tru round where i live

i hate how people have to use such negative words to communicate to each other

but what ever happened to Sticks and Stones

It's kinda crude, I give you that. But language evolves over time, so perhaps it might lose its perceived negativity if everyone uses it like that?

Anyhow, the liberal usage of that word can get you banned on certain football related forums based in the UK. Cnut as a placeholder seems to be fine, however. Everybody's clued in on it and noone gives a damn. Oh the hypocrisy.