this post was submitted on 30 May 2024
57 points (100.0% liked)
Chat
7499 readers
8 users here now
Relaxed section for discussion and debate that doesn't fit anywhere else. Whether it's advice, how your week is going, a link that's at the back of your mind, or something like that, it can likely go here.
Subcommunities on Beehaw:
This community's icon was made by Aaron Schneider, under the CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
I really do think about this from time to time as to why we ever even used this word. I grew up the same as you where we all said it and used it as a replacement word for "ass" in situations where cussing wasn't allowed but you needed a word that hit a bit harder than calling someone stupid. I can't ever remember a time anyone I knew using it as a slur because someone would beat your ass if you got caught bullying anyone disabled. Now that I know that it is offensive I don't use it. But for me it's a bit weird fully relating to the current perception of the word in today's society because I still have mostly positive memories of goofing off with friends associated with it.
Stupid was a medical term similar to the r word. It got replaced because people started using it as a slur. So did the r word. I wonder if people will start using neurodivergent or some other term as a slur, forcing the medical community to adopt another term once more.
I agree. The same thing with the words idiot and moron. I find the whole evolution and usage of words to be fascinating.
Dumb too, but it meant mute. Quite weird this one.