Why does everyone suddenly seem to think it’s ok to say the R word again? I feel like I hadn’t heard it in years and suddenly everyone around me is using it, and I see it on Reddit all the time. Am I imagining it? Is anyone seeing this? I don’t even know what to say when it’s suddenly just everyone in a group and everyone acts like it’s normal.
I’ve noticed this as well, and I have no idea where it’s coming from. If you see this on Beehaw, please report it, though, we’re definitely not okay with slurs of any kind.
Just confirming this as an admin for the visibility.
This is interesting to think about because I might be one of the last generations of people who existed physically with one another more often than we would text or message one another. Since my old man hat is on, back in my day if you let one fly like this there were immediate social consequences. Everyone would go silent and look at you in disapproval and the person who was really invested in expunging the word would, at that moment, explain why saying that word was unacceptable. The person who said it of course wouldn’t have a change of heart, but they would learn that if they wanted to participate socially they would have to watch their language.
Now that it costs $100 to leave the house and most socialization takes place behind in a non-rich communication medium there isn’t really a consequence like there used to be. In most online “communities” no one is actually in community with one another and have no reason to be pro-social other than wanting to be pro-social. Trolling has always been a problem, but now that more of the population in general is communicating primarily on the channels where trolling is happening, trolling is now a political and social problem.
Back in my day people were throwing the r word around without consequences. Basically using it as a synonym for idiot or dumbass. It didn’t start being brought up as an issue until well into my adulthood. I don’t really associate it with people who are disabled because of that. That being said I try not to use it now.
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.
Ohhhh retard, this whole time I was thinking you were all talking about rape.
Where I’m from in Australia it’s used a lot, almost no one takes offence to it because it’s accepted in its other meaning of idiot. Those that do get told to grow up, much like people who laugh at the use of the word gay for happy.
I’m always amused at how different cultures handle language. Can’t imagine these here:
…but I would love to try them sometime. Would be fun to hand out at pride :)
They’re very tasty one of my favourite icecreams just a shame I don’t like people who are missing toes
The US is fascist now. Lots of inappropriate stuff us making a comeback.
I don’t see it. But then, I haven’t been on Reddit for almost a whole year now and by all accounts, it’s devolved into a right-leaning, bot-filled shitbox even more than it was when I left. The WSB crowd never had a problem with that word before, and by now those are the only type of user truly left there that isn’t some kind of AI.
The WSB community and related ones used the r-word self-referentially for the most part.
It’s breaching out of the edgy circles into normie culture again, I think
This. Lots of people at my work have been casually using it. Started around a year ago I’d say. We’re in a highly regulated industry and there’s usually lots of “decorum”. Feels like a societal shift.
What word are you referring to?
Removed by mod
Maybe put a spoiler around that
Aw, Riskable :(
Adding it here as spoilered text
spoiler
retarded
We know that moderation standards have gotten worse, recently. Pick a random big web community hosting company, and it’s likely find that they have laid off big parts of their content moderation team, in the last 24 months.
In spite of the evidence of both my professional expertise, and simple observation; I have received many assurances that AI is definitely picking up the slack.
I say this as some defense of the average human. The algorithms and staff that pair us with each other online for communication have undoubtedly gotten substantially worse, recently.
It’s possible that the average living human has not actually gotten worse… Okay, I’ll admit, I think they totally have. I think all that lead paint expose “that didn’t hurt us” is finally kicking into full force for many of us.
Edit: I see some correlation - the average CEO getting scammed into bad AI purchases is the right age for the lead explanation…
I have been noticing and pondering this as well.
My only thought is that perhaps, although it was shamed for a while, the people who used it at it’s peak have continued to use it in private settings. But now their children are of age that they are comfortable spouting it on the Internet and in person, thus bringing out anyone else who wants to say it, whether just to make people uncomfortable or they grew up with it, or otherwise don’t know any better or haven’t learned empathy
I don’t know exactly why its usage would come up more frequently again. But I feel bad because when I grew up, the word was used frequently, and I never made the connection to it being offensive.
I’m always terrified I’m going to say it or something else that could hurt someone or offend them. Like I wouldn’t want to make someone feel bad because I’m being foolish.
On the flip side, I’ve never been one to let words hold so much power over me. I feel like words and language are very flexible, and so words don’t bother me unless I know someone intentionally is trying to be rude towards me.
But again, that’s just me, and I know for others that’s not the case. So, I’m always trying to be mindful. I guess what I’m trying to say is that some people using it might not realise how it can make others feel. So try not to take it all to heart. Hopefully, it’s just a phase that will pass soon enough.
Edit: one thing I have noticed is as political tensions have risen over the past decade, I feel like I’ve seen way more discourse online in general. I suppose that could just be a coincidence. It could be just due to more people having access to the internet overall. One thing I found when I used reddit a lot, was that sometimes young people could be the rudest and most hurtful. I sometimes wonder if it’s just due to a developing brain and the emotional fluctuations people can get in their teens? I don’t know
Yep, I see it on Lemmy all the time, often from Shit.just.works users.
I’m not seeing it… but it might be due to Reddit having become the R word for me, never having been into T (𝕏), refusing to go on TT or D, and FB still having wide whack-a-mole word filters (main issue being flerfers, and “praise God for the AI stairs” kind). Haven’t seen it on the fediverse yet, but that might be due to curation.
Yeah I also think its probably because beehaw in general has a really moderated community space in general so not much negativity breaks through the cracks.
Also beehaw members had to “write an essay (sic)” to join, and that barely larger threshold seems to have people value it more.
