Well, the word is used in a lot of songs and in movies, so it has been mainstream’d years ago. It is however fascinating how the US focus so much on certain words and censor them out, whereas (gun)violence is basically encouraged? Then you have the stereotypical response also being imprinted into people that if person X say this, you’ve learned from the movies that you are supposed to respond like this, and if you’re of “faction Y” you can also do violence.
Having a word be ‘exclusive’ to only people with a certain genetic background is kinda “racist” isn’t it? Not to mention that the word used today most likely has a number of totally different meanings than it did back in the 60s, or the 30s, or even before then. Just like gay today is usually used in reference to homosexuals and not for someone being jolly as it would’ve been in the “olden days”; even though I saw a soft-ice called “Golden Gaytime” while I lived in Australia, so I guess it has retained multiple levels of usage still.
Anyway, the good thing about streamers is that you’re not forced to watch them, and if you watch them, you’re not forced to listen to them.
That said; If he aimed the comments at a person who he knew to be black and meant it as an insult pertaining to the person being black, that is obviously in poor taste, if it was just being used as a ‘general insult towards a unknown person’ (who may or may not have cheated?) then it puts it in a different level imo, just as he could’ve used it with a totally different meaning if he was talking to his ‘buddies’…
Which is unfortunate, because “cunt” really just rolls off the tongue so much easier.
Then again, there’s another “let’s just use a term referring to a disadvantaged group as a slur” so meh.
Can I get some good old fashioned curses that don’t disparage anyone in specific? Fuck and shit are getting old, and I need new things to call literally all Republicans.
I don’t even know where to begin with that post @instant0.
You’re missing a lot of nuance with the n-word. Some people on the internet tend to think of curses as binary insults that convey only the immediate emotional intent. Either everyone can say it, or no one should. Either it means X or doesn’t. It’s okay if you didn’t mean it personally, etc.
I don’t want to get too P&R here, but that’s not how racial slurs work. There is historical context and meaning beyond the plain dictionary definition. You could yell the n-word at someone and may not intend it specifically as a slur against that person for his genetic makeup, but that intent doesn’t matter. Even this guy acknowledges that somewhat when he says he went to the n-word because he was “trying to make the person [he] was angry with upset as well, and so [he] said the most offensive thing” he could dredge up.
I know it gathers a different response in the US - especially when it gets caught in the eye of sauron (i.e. mass exposure) - and that in some redneck parts of the US they adhere to the “old meaning” of the word.
Perhaps there will finally be equality when that word is considered just another in the arsenal of curse words, eligible to be used by and upon all.
Anyway, let me ask this:
If the streamer was black, and yelled these things to the microphone intent at the other person of unknown pigment(?), would the reactions have been the same - and/or should they have been?
From what I read on Kotaku, the reactions did not appear until the stream was captured and uploaded somewhere else by a third party - thus “marketed” as something to gather a backlash?
@Telefrog: intent always matters, but the recipient and or hearsay/third parties may not receive the same message. And when strong feelings are present, it gets even harder to be ‘objectively offended’.
Anyway: Either this was a short derail or the natural development of a conversation, but it can get back onto the normal track at any point.
Intent, audience, delivery, and venue matter. I think we can agree that racial/sexual slurs normally come from a place of insult. You may not intend them to mean X when you say them, but that meaning isn’t separate from the word. Even I, as an Asian may call my Asian friends “gook” on occasion, (as in “What’s up, my crazy gook brotha!?” while raising a beer) but I also understand that I cannot get away with screaming Asian racial slurs indiscriminately in a public setting. That time and place factor matter a lot.
Beyond that, this person was clearly upset and yelling the slur with intent to offend. (He admitted as such.) Again, taking my gook example, were I to scream it repeatedly over a 30-second period at my friend or blood relative, they’re going to be insulted regardless of our relationship. Even if I meant it as a joke, I’m pretty sure the volume and repetition would be offensive. At the very least, my buddy is going to screw his face up and ask me “What the fuck is wrong with you man?”
This is my problem word when I get excited gaming, probably watched too much british TV and movies. I have a swearing problem going waaaay back. But, I have recently realized that I can yell “cuck” and it sounds pretty similar and is about 100 times funnier lately.
Being British I give myself a pass to use the word “cunt” in regular conversation. Hell back home I have seen it used as a term of endearment “come ere you dozy old cunt, give us a hug”.
It does raise eyebrows here in the states though. Which surprises me to this day.
The most offensive thing I can think of calling someone is a willfully ignorant fascist. That is truly the worst thing I can think of, someone who rejects reason, science , western civilization but supports bigotry and the destruction of liberal democracy. Without wanting to get P&R in here that answers your final question, sadly :(
Yeah, but “willfully ignorant fascist” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, does it? Can’t you boil that down to a single syllable? How about a WIF? Hey that’s pretty good, even rhymes with “whiff”!
