Chapeau! That is in fact the video I had in mind when I wrote my original comment. However, I was informed that the choice of words is considered offensive nowadays, so I changed it because it was not my intention to hurt anybody’s feeling.
Yep, also “dumb”, " lame " etc. These are words for disabilities which then entered common parlance as slurs.
“retarded” is actually the other way round in that it just means “slowed” - but has historically been used as an insult directed towards people with mental disabilities.
Personally I think that what’s offensive is scolding people for using the word in the correct context which prevents society from losing the association with the disabled and instead continues perpetuating that meaning even though that’s the opposite of what they claim to be trying to do
You’re really more offended by a person taking issue with a word that, for at least the last thirty years, has been used to insult individuals by comparing them to disabled people, as if the latter were somehow less-than? You’re more offended by a person having some level of compassion toward disabled people, than by a person who speaks of them as if they’re without dignity?
Pretty low if you ask me. If keeping the meaning of the insult “retarded” has higher societal importance to you than having respect for disabled people you just might be a huge piece of shit.
Literally all this dude above is asking is for people to not invoke disabled individuals when insulting another person, and people in this thread are bending over backwards to justify doing just that. Pretty fucking gross.
You didn’t seem to take offense to them using “idiot.” Why are you comfortable insulting “idiots”? Do you think that mentally deficient people choose to be mentally deficient? That’s just how they’re born. Why would you endorse insulting someone for something they have no choice about?
Being mentally deficient is a disability. “Idiot” is no better than the other words used here. Just stop being so insulting. Seriously, wow.
Said this elsewhere, but when was the last time you heard “idiot” used as a medical term vs “retarded?” I still hear grandmas use the latter to describe disabled people, so it’s definitely more offensive to use “retarded” as an insult than it is to use “idiot” considering the current meaning of those two words. “Idiot” isn’t still sincerely used to describe a vulnerable population of people, and sometimes “retarded” still is, albeit usually by older folks. That’s the difference.
I think you’re trying to say they’re equivalent, but honestly I’m not sure if I’m understanding the tone of your comment. If you’re sincerely decrying people in here justifying insulting others, in general, I’m with you. They seem to be scrambling hard to justify their own shittyness.
I just noticed your username and it made me feel so extremely disgusted that I am going to block you, just to never have to read it again, nothing personal though. Also, with such a username you are not in a particularly good position to criticize others for their choice of words imo.
That’s not what they mean, they mean that the person had a valid point and just had a clearly silly and exaggerated name but you decide to engage with that rather than their response to your question.
What innocent people are being insulted? The euphemism treadmill has ensured nobody is being legitimately described this way anymore, it is just an insult. Btw, idiot and stupid both used to be the correct medical terms for unusually slow mental development, it’s just a matter of how much time has passed.
The problem with democracy is that most people are ignorant …
edit: changed retarded to ignorant, I apologize to anyone who felt offended by my use of the term.
https://youtu.be/QFgcqB8-AxE?si=o4gIWxHtEyHHnHgv
Chapeau! That is in fact the video I had in mind when I wrote my original comment. However, I was informed that the choice of words is considered offensive nowadays, so I changed it because it was not my intention to hurt anybody’s feeling.
It drives me nuts that people just casually toss out that slur.
English has so many other words you can use without insulting a whole group of innocent people and using this slur is just lazy.
Apologies, I am not a native speaker, what adjective would you propose instead?
Ignorant or stupid is what I’m assuming you’re going for but it’s your comment so I’m not sure.
Aren’t ‘stupid’ and ‘idiot’ just even older versions of ‘retarded’ and all describe people with developmental and/or learning disabilities?
Yep, also “dumb”, " lame " etc. These are words for disabilities which then entered common parlance as slurs.
“retarded” is actually the other way round in that it just means “slowed” - but has historically been used as an insult directed towards people with mental disabilities.
Personally I think that what’s offensive is scolding people for using the word in the correct context which prevents society from losing the association with the disabled and instead continues perpetuating that meaning even though that’s the opposite of what they claim to be trying to do
You’re really more offended by a person taking issue with a word that, for at least the last thirty years, has been used to insult individuals by comparing them to disabled people, as if the latter were somehow less-than? You’re more offended by a person having some level of compassion toward disabled people, than by a person who speaks of them as if they’re without dignity?
Pretty low if you ask me. If keeping the meaning of the insult “retarded” has higher societal importance to you than having respect for disabled people you just might be a huge piece of shit.
Literally all this dude above is asking is for people to not invoke disabled individuals when insulting another person, and people in this thread are bending over backwards to justify doing just that. Pretty fucking gross.
You didn’t seem to take offense to them using “idiot.” Why are you comfortable insulting “idiots”? Do you think that mentally deficient people choose to be mentally deficient? That’s just how they’re born. Why would you endorse insulting someone for something they have no choice about?
Being mentally deficient is a disability. “Idiot” is no better than the other words used here. Just stop being so insulting. Seriously, wow.
Said this elsewhere, but when was the last time you heard “idiot” used as a medical term vs “retarded?” I still hear grandmas use the latter to describe disabled people, so it’s definitely more offensive to use “retarded” as an insult than it is to use “idiot” considering the current meaning of those two words. “Idiot” isn’t still sincerely used to describe a vulnerable population of people, and sometimes “retarded” still is, albeit usually by older folks. That’s the difference.
I think you’re trying to say they’re equivalent, but honestly I’m not sure if I’m understanding the tone of your comment. If you’re sincerely decrying people in here justifying insulting others, in general, I’m with you. They seem to be scrambling hard to justify their own shittyness.
Where did I call anyone an idiot?
Idiot is not. It comes from a Greek word for someone who doesn’t pay attention to politics.
A little bit of both, apparently.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiot
If this is correct, then it started out as a word for private citizen and then evolved in Greek to mean ignorant.
Then in the 19th Century was coined as a medical term.
I just noticed your username and it made me feel so extremely disgusted that I am going to block you, just to never have to read it again, nothing personal though. Also, with such a username you are not in a particularly good position to criticize others for their choice of words imo.
You: Insult a group of people that had no power over their condition
Them: Insults no one, has a ridiculous username
Your reaction: You’re disgusting! I’ll block you!
Calling a username disgusting is not the same as calling a person disgusting. I even wrote “nothing personal”.
That’s not what they mean, they mean that the person had a valid point and just had a clearly silly and exaggerated name but you decide to engage with that rather than their response to your question.
I see, good point. You convinced me and I will edit my comments accordingly.
Yeah so I guess there’s no point trying here…
Please elaborate what that sentence is supposed to imply?
Even not being a native speaker you should know the difference here.
I fucking love the internet
Arrr…
What innocent people are being insulted? The euphemism treadmill has ensured nobody is being legitimately described this way anymore, it is just an insult. Btw, idiot and stupid both used to be the correct medical terms for unusually slow mental development, it’s just a matter of how much time has passed.
This person has a better explanation then I do.
How retarded.
That because you retarded too