I never realized how much I use this word until this year when we got a gay RA on our floor. Now I have to stop myself from saying “dude, that’s gay!” Or “What the hell? My computer is so gay!” Sometimes people slip up, however, and say things like “whatever, you’re gay!” to someone when he’s in the room. At first it was awkward, but now I crack up every time it happens.
So, do you consider the word “gay” to be offensive
I think a lot of people get upset about this one because they think its just being pc, and they’re not really meaning gay. However, I think that, by making gay the default for bad/crappy/heinuous, you tell a lot about your societies mind state regarding gays. I mean, if we made Kung Lek the default phrase for evil, power-toting moderators who sleep with goats, should kung lek not read any sort of message into this?
City, your toast will never go unbuttered again! -The Tic
[This message was edited by KC Elbows on 11-16-01 at 12:44 PM.]
A similar thing happened to a friend of mine who decribes things he doesn’t like as retarded.
One of my close friends has a retarded brother…
so he learned to curb it in public.
i don’t think calling something gay is the worst thing in the world, but some folks will be sensitive to it and you need to decide whether or not keeping this word in your day to day vocab is worth the risk of offending them.
Interesting
there is a good quote that I think applies:
Only a fool is insulted when none is intended,
only a fool is insulted when an insult is intended.
and there you go.
just a few pennies from a pig…
-“bigger is BIGGER”
IronPig
No. But some people are way too sensitive.
If he can joke about it ,it should be cool.
Badger
There’s a little poop in all of us.
KC, you leave my goat out of this.
Retarded people jokes are plain “Not cool”
And Ironfist, why don’t you just be happy with who you are and come on out of that closet dude.
It’s the new millenium and none of us will make fun of you for being gay or having a foul mouth, or being the provocative type that you are.
It’s ok really. I’ve come to terms with my evilness, now you have to come to terms with your gayness. You will feel better for it.
You guys are such weenies at times. hahahahaha
peace
Kung Lek
True enough(Iron Pig).
(In general)
I just think that the use of certain words(gay, retarded, etc.) in the present contexts began as a kind of bigotry, and so I find it beneath me to use them in said context. Just because someone ignores the negative influences that gave those words their present contexts doesn’t mean that the person using the words that way aren’t guilty of carrying on a bad tradition.
No one uses gay for happy anymore. Therefore gay has 2 modern uses. A homosexual, and anything bad or lame. Everybody with half a brain knows how it got the second meaning, and it all has to do with what some idiots think of the first meaning. I tend to avoid letting idiots pick the words I communicate with.
Okay, better put my soap box away.
City, your toast will never go unbuttered again! -The Tic
Shaddup Cracker!!!
Badger
There’s a little poop in all of us.
Badger, I’ve been meaning to tell you that your sig needs updating. The whole poop thing has been going through serious research by social scientists, and, true to Marx’s theories, most of the poop is held by a small number of people.
So, technically, there’s a lot of poop in a few of us.
City, your toast will never go unbuttered again! -The Tic
Or maybe…
I’m just full poop!
Badger
george carlin once said “There are no bad words, only bad thoughts”
I personally think that there aren’t any bad words, but the intentions behind them reveal the character of the person who speaks them, or the ignorance and inexposure of the person.
Nasrudin was the figure who made the comment “Only a fool takes heed of the words of yet another fool”.
That in itself is true. Words are harmless, but not without effect. It is the intent behind them that gives them the power to make us laugh or cry or feel disgust.
key word is “feel”. If words make you feel something it is because of the Intent they were delivered in.
some people like to throw around cusses simply because they have a limited vocabulary and are incable of expressing themselves intelligently and with meaningful intent. So like a naughty monkey, they fling their feces against the window where those who are curious are staring at them.
A wise man can learn much more from a fool than a fool will ever learn from a wise man. It’s that simple.
peace
Kung Lek
Poop for the people!! 
City, your toast will never go unbuttered again! -The Tic
well said KC & Kung lek
Ultimately I think it’s a question of Language & it’s use…
What If I started replacing the term “Gay/retarded/Dumb/crap(or fill in the term)” with the word “amerikan” … so that when my computer is crashing rather than saying “My Computer is so Gay(or whatever)” I said “My computer is so Amerikan” I fairly certain this would be a cause for offence to some and perhaps amusement to others (especially these days).
Now my 1st amendment rights allow me to do this (and type it here) & the context of a fool being insulted could also be argued… But, as more people would proably be offended than amused (depending on the company)it may be that I could be the Fool for using such terminology.
I think this would be the same with ANY potentially derogatory term.
Language is one of our Greatest tools, and I would say that it’s foolish to let oneself become subject to unconscious habbit with it’s use.
How “intelligent” does a person who constantly inserts “uh” or “um” or “y’know” in their conversation really seem?
Even when they Do have something intelligent to say…
Kungfu training teaches disipline of the Body/spirit/mind (or so I believe). why NOT use that same Disipline with language???
Design sifu? Never seen you before, and I thought I had all the moderator trading cards…
I agree. Further, even if, as individuals, our use of a word has no wrongful intent, if the overall use of that word in your society serves to discriminate, then should you feel free to use that word, knowing that whether your intent is harmful or not, it will likely have the same effect as if you did intend harm?
City, your toast will never go unbuttered again! -The Tic
Practice practice practice
Mindfulness practice.
Being mindful of who you are, where you are, what you are, when you are and why you are there.
Its hard, probably the hardest thing to do is to be honest and take the time to think a response, rather than to feel a response.
An insult quickly replied to steals most peoples reason, and dignity.
There is a concept that is harder to understand, and harder to accept. That you are actually empowered internally. When somebody calls me a name or makes a comment, I am the only person who decides how I get to react. Myself.
In the above vein, then the only person who can make a change in my life to choose to not offend is myself as well.
I cannot control another person, and controlling anothers speech is just offensive and disgusting.
I can hopefully set a good example and perhaps interact with others to spread the idea of personal empowerment (responsiblity).
practicing tolerance does not mean to tolerate all things, its the slippery slope of when to intervene that makes controlling language content so dangerous.
Nice thread.
just a few pennies from a pig…
-“bigger is BIGGER”
IronPig
Harlan Ellison on PC
“Sometimes you just have to call a midget a midget.” --Harlan Ellison
K. Mark Hoover
Budokan pulls out the Ellison. I agree, but it doesn’t apply here. If the quote were something like, “Sometimes you have to call a bad thing a midget.” Then we could use it. However, Ellison is welcome anywhere in my opinion.
Ever read “Quiet Lies the Locust Tells”?
City, your toast will never go unbuttered again! -The Tic
What about…
My computer is so cracker! Youre so cracker!
cracker!cracker!cracker!cracker!cracker!cracker!cracker!cracker!cracker!cracker!cracker!cracker!cracker!cracker!cracker!cracker!cracker!cracker!
or..
My computer is so lawyer! Youre such a lawyer!
lawyer!lawye r!lawyer!lawyer!lawyer!lawyer!lawyer!lawyer!lawyer!lawyer!lawyer!lawyer!lawyer!lawyer!lawyer!lawyer!
Tear the roof off the sucka!! Woo Woo!
Badger
There’s a little poop in all of us.
Is that that stupid firestarter song?
I’m a garbage tie! Twisty garbage tie!
City, your toast will never go unbuttered again! -The Tic
OOTA. GLEEBIN. GLOUTON. GLOBIN.
Badger
There’s a little poop in all of us.