I may not view as you do, and was not there to get the full scope, maybe was raised differently since I don’t swear because swearing or vulgar language was “the sign of ignorance, disrespect and anger”. I’ll leave this convo with a better understanding of your viewpoints and at least we didn’t end up arguing out like these two
I’d disagree about it being less racist now than it was then. It’s certainly used less in public, being relegated to video games, internet shit and other semi-anonymous places. Generally places where young people can say shit without repercussions. they only say it because it’s offenseive, so if it stops being offensive, they won’t say it.
Although I respect disagreement. It’s better than those muthafuckas who just see the word “Niggertron” and refuse to even acknowledge any ideas about it.
Within the context of the conversation, anyone could understand that ‘bitches’ meant a group of people, irrespective of gender. Everyone with the exception of that one guy (he was a non-native english speaker) took it to be an appropriate, informal wish for a pleasant evening.
Bitch is a word which has evolved greatly over the years, from female dog, to slur for woman, to insult for an effeminate man, to someone who complains and finally to an informal collective noun. This guy and others who consider it offensive are taking it in the wrong direction, not moving forward with language but maintaining this idea of perceived insult.
I view nigger too as one day evolving similarly, but without the dude who still gets upset.
Hey I understand the point you are attempt though, NG, I just don’t agree with the execution, somewhere the term has loss the power of it being racist like it was used strongly during that time, however, the repeated use of it today has become a symbol of ignorance in today’s youth. And really no one with any good sense really wants to associate with an ignorant ass.
And that @NT is where you loss me, while I would chose to move on with my lady. Being addressed as “bitches” just won’t fly with me. Boils down to respect, and if I don’t address folks with slurs or offensive terms, I shouldn’t be addressed in that manner. It’s not how I roll. May work for some but not for all, especially those that carry themselves with a sense of professionalism. If some can’t figure out how to carry on a convo without swearing or use of slurs, then you can’t carry much respect outside the social norms.
Motherfucker’s a classic insult, but I doubt people who have actually fucked their mothers take particular offense to it (for a number of reasons). But how often do people say that word and comprehend what it actually means? That’s my dream for nigger.
Insults are always gonna exist, but we can only minimize their effect on us. If people took as little offense from motherfucker as they do from nigger, that word would become just as inconsequential.
If a fight’s gonan start, a fight’s gonna start, no matter what words are used. Nothing about how “nigger” is used will change that. For some niggas tho, the word is a big, easy button for someone else to push. Take away that button, and a disagreement’s less likely to turn violent.
Words like bitches, cunts and faggots work similarly. Nearly had to fight a nigga once cuz he took objection to my use of the word bitch when I told him and his girl, “you bitches gon’ have fun tonight!” If he had a little thicker skin (his girl laughed at it) we wouldn’t have had that problem, and the same could be said of others in that situation.
@Zombie
Race is indeed a much bigger issue than other targets of slurs. Bitches will make slurs about anything, so marginalizing these big ones is important. Of course because of slavery, discrimination and all that shit, it is a more difficult insult to get over than pollack. Still the only way to do it is to just do it.
Regardless how some may try an offensive word is an offensive word. There no way in hell “motherfucker” can be made into something positive or any other racial slur so I rather call it for what it is… A slur…
Having a history counts, though I guess it affects others differently depending on the word. I don’t think atheists have “slurs” against them aside from heathen so I’m less bothered by names and more bothered about how I feel as an individual in a largely religious country.
Race is admittedly a bigger thing because that can’t be changed, as artificial of a construct it may be. I don’t think anyone considers pollock offensive anymore because Polish-Americans are (mostly) treated as equals with WASP Americans, so stuff like that changes. Same for hooligan and its connotation with the Irish.
Also, I think gypsy is offense because of people who say “I got gypped!”
I am for one don’t jump the gun at name-calling but like I said, sometimes fights start out from words, and regardless of color, white, black or otherwise. That name used in an aggressive context would start some violence…
Thing about the N-word, it doesn’t matter how often or how one enables the power of it, it is an ugly word, along with addressing women as “bitches” or gays as “fags”. I doubt that many women would address themselves publicly as a way to “take away” the power of that term from those that use to degrade women. Some folks would feel offended and others would see them as foolish.
@Zombie
Making the public more used to it I think is the best policy. I remember one time Al Sharpton tried to hold a funeral for the word. First thing I did when I heard that he had “buried” it was laugh and say nigga. It hadn’t lost any power. It was still alive and well.
The trouble I see is that people avoid it so much they just can’t deal with the word. Before starting askNiggertron, even reading the word had an effect on me. Since then, I barely even notice it anymore, same way I don’t notice mick, or guinea or chink or gypsy(apparently that’s supposed to be offensive?). I hope others can make the same transition.
One thing you said distresses me: That bit about starting a fight if someone calls you a nigger. I know you’re alone in that regard. That means all an actual racist has to do is call a nigger a nigger, and he has started shit. This makes the word “nigger” a weapon for racists. The only way to defuse that weapon is to not be offended by it, to not give them the tool to hurt you. Easier said than done by far, but important nonetheless.
People who fight ableism are working in the opposite direction, creating new words that should be considered offensive, creating new weapons for asshole to use to start shit.
The thing with taboos is that some have to be handled differently than others. I’m not really sure saying ____ will really help its image. Unless you mean making the public more used to it like how people didn’t know rape wasn’t the woman’s fault or stuff like that.
I think a transition of sorts would’ve been better. Ease the reader/viewer into what you’re presenting to them. They can better digest your message and you won’t look like an asshole.
