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 was referring to the comment higher in the thread, but “stupid” is just as bad, which refers to the “mentally slow.” They didn’t choose to be that way. It’s offensive to refer to other people by that term, because it sounds like you’re using someone’s mental disability, their mental slowness, as an insult to other people.
You’re basically saying “you’re acting like a dumb person,” and being “dumb” is a dis-ability, in the most literal and obvious sense. You can’t choose your intelligence level, that’s just how people are born. It’s incredibly offensive to use one group’s disability as an insult towards someone else.
I’m not personally offended, I’m offended for all the people that might be offended by how offensive you’re being.
And I know you’re trying to be funny, and I don’t appreciate it. You’re basically implying that I’m an idiot or stupid, and that’s incredibly offensive to me for the reasons I’ve already explained.
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.
I reacted by listening to the opinions of others, thinking about it and changing my choice of words, to not offend anyone and also apologized. That is quite the opposite of childish. Seems like you´re just trolling at this point, so in fact you are the one who is childish here.
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?
I was referring to the comment higher in the thread, but “stupid” is just as bad, which refers to the “mentally slow.” They didn’t choose to be that way. It’s offensive to refer to other people by that term, because it sounds like you’re using someone’s mental disability, their mental slowness, as an insult to other people.
You’re basically saying “you’re acting like a dumb person,” and being “dumb” is a dis-ability, in the most literal and obvious sense. You can’t choose your intelligence level, that’s just how people are born. It’s incredibly offensive to use one group’s disability as an insult towards someone else.
Hey, crazy suggestion: try kindness? Wow.
I apologize, I didn’t intend you any offence.
I’m not personally offended, I’m offended for all the people that might be offended by how offensive you’re being.
And I know you’re trying to be funny, and I don’t appreciate it. You’re basically implying that I’m an idiot or stupid, and that’s incredibly offensive to me for the reasons I’ve already explained.
Seriously, wow.
Lmao Try a little kindness.
K…
You have two accounts, bro? That’s… unnecessary.
The post you’re responding to is parody.
And a week old.
You’re not fooling anyone and you care about people on the internet too much. Hang in there.
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?
That you twice reacted like a child when you got called out so it’s not worth losing any more time on you.
I reacted by listening to the opinions of others, thinking about it and changing my choice of words, to not offend anyone and also apologized. That is quite the opposite of childish. Seems like you´re just trolling at this point, so in fact you are the one who is childish here.
Even not being a native speaker you should know the difference here.
I fucking love the internet