The case for the "C-word." <adult language>

[-Skye]

Imo bad words are stupid. What makes them "bad" or offensive. I really never understood it, I've been called a cunt and said the word. A lot of people are like OH MY GOD YOU'RE GOING TO HELLLL FOR SAYING THAT. I really don't understand why swear words are swear words and are seen as taboo to a lot of people.

[RicardoZ]

Can I ask how often each side gets away with it? Every time I've ever watch Bill O'reilly, he's used a racial slur and no one raises concern over it. Both sides get away with it. Don't think one side is special.

Show me one video of Bill O'Reilly using a racial slur. One. Dig through all of MEdia Matters youtube videos, all the stuff they have on him, and show me ONE that is a racial epithet.

[Seranthor]

*snip*

45 years old, white, male... I remember a time in junior high, someone called the girl I was sitting next to in class the N-word, without the blink of an eye, I got up, dotted both their eyes and seperated 3 of their teeth from their jaw... total time... 15 seconds... I was taught young that word is unacceptable as well as the C-word... I reserve the C-word for the most vile, foul and evil women I know, only 2 in my life have earned the label.

It is my personal opinion that if you have to reduce yourself to using epitaths like that means that you probably deserve anything that happens to you as a consequence of the use of those words. I've guildkicked folks for using those words. Yes, I have a visceral hate for both of those words.

[Gheld]

I think it wouldn't be so bad if we didn't taboo words so bad in the US. The fact that you don't ever hear the word "cunt" makes it feel like it's far worse. I think this is the same reason hillbillies get offended when they confront a well educated person who uses a well rounded vernacular.

Indubitably. But you're hitting onto something here. Eventually censorship of a particular word relaxes, and it just becomes part of the common vernacular and a new word takes its place.

If people hadn't tried to outlaw the words Golly, Gee, Gosh, and Humbug some hundred years ago I guarantee you nobody would have ever heard of the word "fuck."

[Seranthor]

Can I ask how often each side gets away with it? Every time I've ever watch Bill O'reilly, he's used a racial slur and no one raises concern over it. Both sides get away with it. Don't think one side is special.

I'd like to see the tapes of him using slurs.. This I GOTTA see, or I'm gonna say you are willfully dishonest.

[Neliah]

I think it's funny. Words like that I don't find offensive in any way. I just think people are childish when they use them. Especially within a gaming community (WoW, LoL e.c.t). I'm Danish, but I hear those words so often, even more so irl than ingame. People should just calm down, and ignore people using those words, simple as that. I find it hilarious though, that people actually get offended by words.... Wooooords.

I laughed when I was in England, and heard someone call another peson the most horrible things, but as soon as the C word was used, hell broke loose. It was freaking glorious.

[Alixie]

Calling a man a cunt or a bitch is undermining to women because its using something feminine to demean someone. Its all over the place in media, effeminate traits are seen as weak and submissive. Like, "You hit like a girl." Girl is the insult, because girl=weak in society.

I would think people shouldn't need to be told why cunt is an offensive word. Nobody uses it in a positive way, its always used in an attempt to offend someone in an aggressive, demeaning way.

[Deleted]

I avoid "bad words", as I prefer to make points through validated argument rather than swearing. Different people have different ideas of how offensive these words are, so my suggestion would be not saying them altogether to have no chance of offending people.

[Deleted]

Because cunt is used to describe terrible females, its similar to bitch in that its a gendered insulting word. Its like saying somebody is a vagina and that having a vagina is a negative thing to have. Its one of the worst words you can use, so if you are going to use it the person better deserve it.

But you call a man a dick and it means nothing. Double standards.

It's a word for christ sake. A WORD. The fact that people can even mark a word as bad amazes me. It's the sentiment behind the word that's important, not the word itself.

[Elegiac]

My policy to slurs is this; if people stop taking offense to them, then they are not offensive anymore by definition.

It is partially the reason why I, as a gay man, refer to myself as a fag.

[Reeve]

Don't use words that you know are offensive to people if you don't want a forum/game ban. Pretty simple. I've yet to ever get banned from a game or forum. It's really not that hard.

[Coldpro]

Don't use bad words they are bad words for a reason.

*ahem* Bad words are bad mkay? If you use them, you're bad, so don't use bad words mkay? They are really really bad mkay?

[vizzle]

Does this really need to be discussed, just learn who's chill and who's not, and then hold your tongue accordingly.

[jmacphee9]

But why? Why does a word offend them so much?

because its a bad word durrrrrrrr, why does any word mean anything?

[Outofmana]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Nrp7cj_tM

Most Americans on this board are quite sad I see. Words like Cunt, Idiot, Bitch, Moron WHATEVER, are only words and you act like someone who says it is murdering someone..../facepalm.

[Lodreh]

...It is partially the reason why I, as a gay man, refer to myself as a fag.

You refer to yourself as a bundle of sticks?

[slime]

I definitely save the word this thread is about for only the most special of people. I have seen tons of the double-standard you mention with many "bad" words, but there is not much you can do about it. It's is subjective, and if you choose to throw around words like that - you need to be prepared for the reprucussions of who hears it. You could go 30 years using that word and not have a problem with anyone... then you use it in front of the wrong person and all hell breaks loose.

[Elegiac]

You refer to yourself as a bundle of sticks?

Don't be obtuse.

Seriously, being more than 90 degrees is so unfashionable.

[RicardoZ]

It is partially the reason why I, as a gay man, refer to myself as a fag.

That doesn't make any sense though because then by the same definition people who oppose you could start calling themselves "bigots" and you'd lose your power over that word.

[Gheld]

Don't be obtuse.

Seriously, being more than 90 degrees is so unfashionable.

That was acute joke.