| General > General Technical Chat |
| 'Master' and 'slave': Tech terms face scrutiny amid anti-racism efforts |
| << < (106/352) > >> |
| tggzzz:
--- Quote from: james_s on June 18, 2020, 08:42:07 pm --- --- Quote from: TimFox on June 18, 2020, 08:25:46 pm ---As soon as a new euphemism for a group is generated, the general public, not known for empathy, will use it as an insult. For example, the terms “moron” and “imbecile” were supposed to be more charitable than “idiot”, and “challenged” became an insult. --- End quote --- When I was a kid, "retarded" was the politically correct term, then it became an insult and then I remember hearing other euphemisms, I think "developmentally disabled" was the next one that became common, and then "special", ... --- End quote --- Pronounced, in the playground as "speeeshuuul" in a sing-song tone. The meaning is the same, no matter how it is pronounced. |
| Simon:
Quite, changing the term does nothing and is worse as it just ignores the problem which is worse. Just brushing it under the carpet and renaming things is causing the perpetuation of the problem and makes those pretending to solve the problem incompetent and they are just causing more harm. But instead they get a pat on the back for "fixing" it by changing a name. |
| tom66:
I continue to use the term "retarded" to refer to many braking and decay processes. I don't see how it should be offensive, it's literally French for *slow*. I would never use it to refer to a person, because that could be offensive. |
| paulca:
--- Quote from: tom66 on June 19, 2020, 07:44:03 am ---I continue to use the term "retarded" to refer to many braking and decay processes. I don't see how it should be offensive, it's literally French for *slow*. I would never use it to refer to a person, because that could be offensive. --- End quote --- The grey area that got me flack, though I stood by it, was referring to a local political parties policies as retarded. While there was a small element of being nasty, I defended it because the party is well know for still trying to bury itself in the 19th century.... so it's policies are the opposite of advanced. |
| tggzzz:
--- Quote from: Simon on June 19, 2020, 07:42:01 am ---Quite, changing the term does nothing and is worse as it just ignores the problem which is worse. Just brushing it under the carpet and renaming things is causing the perpetuation of the problem and makes those pretending to solve the problem incompetent and they are just causing more harm. But instead they get a pat on the back for "fixing" it by changing a name. --- End quote --- Compare and contrast that with "top" managments' corporate rebranding exercises. Usually, but not always, that is due to either too many underemployed chiefs finding make-work, or a company in the doldrums and management being clueless about how to solve that. |
| Navigation |
| Message Index |
| Next page |
| Previous page |