Whatever happened to manners?

[aaron]

jesus christ, man, are you a big proponent of eugenics as well? i'm assuming that you're using "retarded" as a synonym for "stupid" or "idiotic," in which case, yes i'll agree with you that being "retarded" is a bad thing. however, being mentally or developmentally disabled is a damaging condition that is simply beyond one's control and should not be denigrated to a childish insult, nevermind being determined "bad" or "unfavorable." i shouldn't have to explain the obvious.

I am a big proponent of truth and reality. I agree that you shouldn't discriminate against someone because they are retarded, because it wasn't their choice to become retarded. All I am saying is that it is bad to be retarded, because it negatively affects one's ability to function properly.

I could make the same argument for the words "stupid" and "idiotic". Some people can't help but be stupid or idiotic. So what? It's not a good thing to be stupid so it works as an insult.

some people would argue that being gay is a bad thing because it negatively affects one's ability to function properly as a normal human being. some could argue that being black is a bad thing because it negatively affects one's ability to function properly in a society so prevalent with racism and prejudice.

i am having a hard time seeing where you are getting the idea that being retarded is a "bad" thing. i guess i just need you to define the word "bad" in this scenario because there are a few different connotations that word can carry, especially when talking about something with such a social stigma as "being retarded." the original argument was that using the word "retard" as an insult was okay, because being retarded was a bad thing, but being gay or black are not bad things so their associated derogatory terms shouldn't be used as insults. i'm genuinely curious as to what you mean by "bad."

[Erik_Twice]

i'm genuinely curious as to what you mean by "bad."

Do you consider not having two legs bad? I think you do. He is saying the same thing.

Being mentally retarded is bad, because not being intelligent is bad. That doesn't make you less of a person.

Stop strawmaning, he never said anything about killing people because they are mentally retarded.

[aaron]

yes, but, i don't call people paraplegics in xbox live matches.

the argument as i understood it was that being retarded is bad, so it can be used as an insult. but being black and gay are not bad so they shouldn't be used as insults.

being retarded is a negative thing that doesn't (or shouldn't) reflect on the quality of the person, and should not be used as a means to exploit someone. that's all i'm saying. just because it's an undesirable condition doesn't make it okay to be used as an insult. i don't see why anyone would think otherwise.

[bacteria]

Define "retarded"?

If you mean someone with mental health issues, they are not retards. I have mild Aspergers which is a mental health condition, if you have a higher than average IQ (mine is 134, top 10%) you will tend to be Aspergers, if you have a low IQ you tend to get other Autisms (Aspergers is an Autism). So, if someone calls me "a retard" because I have a mental health condition, they are the "retards" as I am probably more intelligent and cohearent than they are, which makes them the "retard". Ignorance is the real "retard" as the only people who talk about "retards" in modern society are kiddies who have no concept of communication, respect for diversity or intelligence to interact or express knowledge. They are the people referred to at the start of this thread - THEY are the "retards". All they are interested in is to try and put down others to make them look less like the shits they are.

The same term of "gay" is used by the teenage "retards", sexual orientation is equal and no group is better than any other - diversity and all that. Just another example of ignorant people being ignorant as knowing no better.

[Inazuma]

Define "retarded"?

If you mean someone with mental health issues, they are not retards. I have mild Aspergers which is a mental health condition, if you have a higher than average IQ (mine is 134, top 10%) you will tend to be Aspergers, if you have a low IQ you tend to get other Autisms (Aspergers is an Autism). So, if someone calls me "a retard" because I have a mental health condition, they are the "retards" as I am probably more intelligent and cohearent than they are, which makes them the "retard". Ignorance is the real "retard" as the only people who talk about "retards" in modern society are kiddies who have no concept of communication, respect for diversity or intelligence to interact or express knowledge. They are the people referred to at the start of this thread - THEY are the "retards". All they are interested in is to try and put down others to make them look less like the shits they are.

The same term of "gay" is used by the teenage "retards", sexual orientation is equal and no group is better than any other - diversity and all that. Just another example of ignorant people being ignorant as knowing no better.

I get what you are saying but insults don't always work like that. You shouldn't have to give someone an IQ test, or have them examined by a doctor every time you wanna call them stupid or retarded.

A healthy, intelligent, normal guy could get injured in a car accident because he didn't wear his seatbelt. If someone calls him stupid or retarded for it, everyone knows they don't really mean it literally. At the time, he was acting stupid or retarded by not wearing the seatbelt, so those insults can work.

"Gay" and "black" are just simply not insults at all. Straight, gay, white, black, etc; One is not better or worse than the other. Calling someone gay as an insult, is identical to calling someone straight as an insult. It just falls flat. It's like calling someone normal or human.

[Erik_Twice]

Being a "retard" is a bad thing. Thus it makes sense to use it as an insult. The other words aren't bad things so they don't make sense as an insult.

Define "retarded"?

If you mean someone with mental health issues, they are not retards

Mental retardation is a term to determine people with intellectual/cognitive problems. It remplaced terms like "imbecile", "idiot" and "moron".

Thus is someone acts in a stupid manner it makes sense to use "retarded" to refer to them.

[Bikeage]

I can't believe that no one else has posted the obvious, that this thread is gay and retarded.

[nate]

since when to insults need to make sence ??

[jp1]

since when to insults need to make sence ??

Or sentences for that matter.

j/k

[nate]

d'Oh !