Why does everyone suddenly seem to think it’s ok to say the R word again? I feel like I hadn’t heard it in years and suddenly everyone around me is using it, and I see it on Reddit all the time. Am I imagining it? Is anyone seeing this? I don’t even know what to say when it’s suddenly just everyone in a group and everyone acts like it’s normal.
I’ve noticed this as well, and I have no idea where it’s coming from. If you see this on Beehaw, please report it, though, we’re definitely not okay with slurs of any kind.
Just confirming this as an admin for the visibility.
This is interesting to think about because I might be one of the last generations of people who existed physically with one another more often than we would text or message one another. Since my old man hat is on, back in my day if you let one fly like this there were immediate social consequences. Everyone would go silent and look at you in disapproval and the person who was really invested in expunging the word would, at that moment, explain why saying that word was unacceptable. The person who said it of course wouldn’t have a change of heart, but they would learn that if they wanted to participate socially they would have to watch their language.
Now that it costs $100 to leave the house and most socialization takes place behind in a non-rich communication medium there isn’t really a consequence like there used to be. In most online “communities” no one is actually in community with one another and have no reason to be pro-social other than wanting to be pro-social. Trolling has always been a problem, but now that more of the population in general is communicating primarily on the channels where trolling is happening, trolling is now a political and social problem.
Back in my day people were throwing the r word around without consequences. Basically using it as a synonym for idiot or dumbass. It didn’t start being brought up as an issue until well into my adulthood. I don’t really associate it with people who are disabled because of that. That being said I try not to use it now.
Ohhhh retard, this whole time I was thinking you were all talking about rape.
Where I’m from in Australia it’s used a lot, almost no one takes offence to it because it’s accepted in its other meaning of idiot. Those that do get told to grow up, much like people who laugh at the use of the word gay for happy.
I’m always amused at how different cultures handle language. Can’t imagine these here:
…but I would love to try them sometime. Would be fun to hand out at pride :)
