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Censorship or recognising offensive langauge

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  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Okay. So, why?

    Surely her word that she finds it offensive should be enough?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well, if you don't mind offending people, that's your perogative - like you say, it's a free countr(y/ies) and we're free to be offensive if that's the type of personalit(y/ies) we have.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    G-Raffe wrote: »
    Surely her word that she finds it offensive should be enough?

    I don't think he's looking to argue with her about it, just asking why she feels how she does. One thing to remember with him is that he's going to ask questions in a discussion like this, he's going to ask you to defend your stance. It doesn't mean he's trying to be condescending or anything, he's just looking for clarification and sometimes it forces you to think more about the topic than you would have otherwise, and everyone walks away having learned something.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Then that's something you need to analyze why.

    Yeah but saying something like that can come across as annoying.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Oh, sure. And trust me, sometimes he really is annoying. xD
    In this kind of situation, though, it often comes down to misinterpretation. I have the same problem, I'll make a comment and someone takes it as a challenge and gets all upset and defensive while I'm sitting here thinking I was having a perfectly normal and calm discussion. It's this damn internet, makes the tone of your words difficult to convey at times.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Surely her word that she finds it offensive should be enough?

    I believe her that she finds it offensive. The question is why.
    Well, if you don't mind offending people, that's your perogative - like you say, it's a free countr(y/ies) and we're free to be offensive if that's the type of personalit(y/ies) we have.

    That doesn't answer the question. That's just killing the messenger, so you don't have to think about why.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I dont see where this argument/discussion is going? She finds it offensive so she finds it offensive, she shouldnt have to justify it to anyone.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Curiosity? If I recall correctly, we were discussing whether words themselves are offensive, or if there's another reason (some examples were who is saying it, the context, etc.). So why not ask someone why a particular word is offensive to them?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    She quoted me, which means she engaged the conversation. And I can't confirm it, but I got the distinct impression that she was being snotty about it when she said it. Me questioning her statement to me (as though he stating something changes anything that I said) is predicated on the basis that she personalized the discussion on herself.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    And I can't confirm it, but I got the distinct impression that she was being snotty about it when she said it.

    See, I would say that announcing that no one should be offended by the word 'nigger' is being snotty, intentional or not. Posting a video of some beardiod rambling in his cellar as proof just maks it even more snotty.

    The word is an ethnic slur. You don't get to decide whether or not people find it offensive. Fucks sake, the word has it's roots in slavery. That's why people are offended by it. It's used to dehumanise or reduce the status of the race it slurs.

    And yes, the combination of letters that make up the word have no power themselves. The word, in fact and word put in a linguistic vacuum with no context means nothing. Of course it means nothing. But that's something that never happens. There is no way to divorce the word from the stench of racism that hangs over it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's snotty to post my opinion and back it up with facts?

    And no, the word does not have its roots in slavery. If you watched the entire video, you'd know that. It was used in slavery, yes, but where it stems from is entirely different.

    True, it can be used to objectify someone's hatred of another race (though, I don't quite understand what's to be offended over by someone hating you as my motto toward someone hating me tends to be "Okay, peace", but wutevz), but the word itself should not be offensive. The fact that black people use the word is a paragon to that point.

    No word can reduce the status of a human being, unless you let it. I will once again point out the fact that I am Italian. Should someone refer to me as "ginny", I am not in the least bit offended because:

    1. The word, itself, is empty.

    2. If it is a message of their hate for me, I could care less about their opinion of me.

    "But, Chief! Blacks were slaves! Italians we--"

    Actually, the largest mass lynching in American history was perpetrated against Italians. Italians, for a long period of time, were not even considered white in America (see Sacco and Vanzetti). Enter the mob.

    Point is: If you take pride in yourself, no word can devalue you.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Your facts are that video?

    Edit: Eh, this is just going to go round and round. We're just going to have to agree to disagree.

    But you're wrong and I'm right.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Im sorry but no matter how much you justify it, yes I do think you are right, but in the end people still find it offensive, just because you have a certain viewpoint, doesnt mean that others have or do share it.

    The fact that you cant accept this is very annoying to me.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I can accept that they don't share my viewpoint. I am simply stating that I find their viewpoint ludicrous and counterproductive to their own happiness.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I can accept that they don't share my viewpoint. I am simply stating that I find their viewpoint ludicrous and counterproductive to their own happiness.

    So you are saying you find it ludicrous that someone can take offence to what is widely regarded and accepted as a racist term?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I find it ludicrous that something as menial as a word can alter your mood in any way, shape or form.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Your facts are that video?

    Edit: Eh, this is just going to go round and round. We're just going to have to agree to disagree.

    But you're wrong and I'm right.

    chuckle
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    So, you ready to answer the question yet? Or are you going to continue to play the little sister who hides behind mother's leg while she's scolding you, screaming "YEAH" after everything she says?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've missed this level of mudslinging.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    In answer to the OP question, no I don't think they need to edit the book. I gave a copy to my child when they were nine. I've also discussed with them how offensive the n word is and why.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've missed this level of mudslinging.

    Its back :yippe:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I find it ludicrous that something as menial as a word can alter your mood in any way, shape or form.

    I fail to see how in a social animal, where language is one of the main methods of communication, something as menial as a word wouldn't alter your mood. That's the whole point of language, isn't it? If it wasn't, then pretty much every literature writer, or political speech writer, or tabloid journalist in the world would be out of a job.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Because all it can do is convey an idea. If the idea is hollow, then it shouldn't effect your mood. If some schmo on the street came up to you and said "I hate you", would that bother you?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I fail to see how in a social animal, where language is one of the main methods of communication, something as menial as a word wouldn't alter your mood. That's the whole point of language, isn't it? If it wasn't, then pretty much every literature writer, or political speech writer, or tabloid journalist in the world would be out of a job.

    Take everything with a grain of salt. I know that I personally tend to pass everything I read or hear through a mental filter thinking "Who's saying this?" "What are their goals" "Why should I care?" before I react to it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Because all it can do is convey an idea. If the idea is hollow, then it shouldn't effect your mood. If some schmo on the street came up to you and said "I hate you", would that bother you?

    Would it effect my mood? Yes it would. I would temporarily go from whatever I was to being slightly confused.

    And words convey an idea, but in the absence of any ability to climb in the mind of the person using the word, where does our knowledge of what they meant come from? It comes from the common usage of the word within culture, which is why letting a foreigner loose with a thesaurus can be quite funny, because they don't quite get the subtleties of certain words, and end up using things that are technically correct, but culturally, just wrong for what they're trying to say.

    Take a specific example. What is the difference between the word promiscuous and the word slut? In terms of meaning, they both refer to someone who has a lot of sexual partners. Yet in reality, anyone who is native in English knows that the latter of the two comes with all sorts of connotations that the former doesn't, and it is therefore people will assume that you intended those connotations when you used the word.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well, I personally think you're too sensitive if something like that would bother you. It's counterproductive to your own well being.

    Again, I'm not saying you should go around being rude to people. Far from it. What I'm saying is that the recipients of words should not let words harm them. Sticks and stones.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well, I personally think you're too sensitive if something like that would bother you. It's counterproductive to your own well being.

    If some random person came up to YOU on the street and said that, what would you do?

    Because I think most people would either be confused or amused. Both of which are 'changing your mood', though not necessarily letting it bother them. Confused =/= bothered.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Because all it can do is convey an idea. If the idea is hollow, then it shouldn't effect your mood. If some schmo on the street came up to you and said"I hate you", would that bother you?

    I was walking with my girfriend of the time through Bond Street about 10 years ago and two skinheads were walking past in the other direction and the older guy looked at me and my spikey hair and snapped, "your hair looks fucking shit" quite angrily with a snarl.

    Yes it did bother me.

    My GF was half Somalian/half Arabic and they looked like your typical racists so i dont know if that had something to do with it but yeah it played on my mind and pissed me off, i was about 17 and they were in their 30's so it was a bit worrying!

    Im sure if someone looked at you and said "C##T" as they walked past you might do more than just hear it and immediatly dismiss it. You might even process it through your brain and think about "why" did he call me a "C##T"

    Getting upset for being called a nigger is no less understandable for being upset for being called fat (if your fat) or skinny (if your skinny) or faggot (if your gay) in my opinion.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    as social animals, its perfectly reasonable and understandable for someone to be offended or hurt by people calling them offensive names or saying horrible things about them, just as its perfectly reasonable to be pleased and happy when people praise you
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