Down here at the pawn shop - Page 9

footfootfoot · 11-10-2012, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lola Bunny

Goodness, for several years??!!? Why don't they just tear the wall out and take out that stink?

It's a plaster and lath wall with wall paper. That may be the reason. It's a sore subject with them so I avoid it. My nose is super sensitive to smells and is easily offended, if it were my house it wouldn't have been a week before it was torn open.

Undertoad · 11-12-2012, 10:28 AM

On today's edition of "Retarded or High", a woman could not comprehend the price of having two keys made.

We duplicate keys for $2 each, and after digging in her pockets and bringing out all her nickels, the woman found that she only had $3.50. It took me about three minutes to explain that either I could make one key for $2, or she could come back with fifty more cents and I could make both keys.

In this case she was ruled Retarded. About 10% of our customers are profoundly uneducated and moronic. That part of the job is pretty sad.

And I know we're not supposed to use the word "retarded", but I'm on the fence here because these people are just amazingly fucking retarded. I'm not sure how they get through their day.

Flint · 11-12-2012, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

And I know we're not supposed to use the word "retarded", but I'm on the fence here because these people are just amazingly fucking retarded. I'm not sure how they get through their day.

I think it is clear to fluent, native English speakers within the span of several generations that we can broadly define as our cultural peer group, that the word "retarded" is, at this point in time, 1) NEVER used to mean a person who is developmentally delayed due to some genetic or physiological condition, and 2) ALWAYS used to mean someone who made a bone-headed decision, or even has semi-permanently stunted their own cognitive capacity via some poor lifestyle choice such as heavy drinking or religion.

Undertoad · 11-12-2012, 10:53 AM

I'm using it wrong!

Flint · 11-12-2012, 11:10 AM

But seriously, we all know what it means. Right now I am spending a lot of time with a close friend of ours whose daughter is severely developmentally delayed. You don't use the "R" word around Mama bear simply because you don't want to get the lecture. Immediately afterwards, when not in her presence and there is no imminent argument-causing subjects hanging over your head like a grand piano, cultural normalcy and the accepted meanings of words in the English language resumes.

Sorry folks, words have meanings. We don't get to force a custom dictionary on the rest of humanity.

glatt · 11-12-2012, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flint

Sorry folks, words have meanings. We don't get to force a custom dictionary on the rest of humanity.

Of course we do. The N word used to be in common use, and now it's not.

Griff · 11-12-2012, 11:36 AM

But, I want to use the word Nutritious.

Flint · 11-12-2012, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glatt

Of course we do. The N word used to be in common use, and now it's not.

The "N" word is patently offensive and was conceived of and understood to be as such.

Help me understand the relation to decommissioned medical terminology such as moron, idiot, and imbecile...??? These are no longer defined in the diagnostic lexicon, and are universally understood to have a non-medical meaning. Retard is the latest word to enter into this harmless category. I believe that there is no misunderstanding about what is meant to refer to someone or something as retarded. You can force the conflict, but you have to distort natural discourse to get there.

limey · 11-12-2012, 12:09 PM

Imbecile.

glatt · 11-12-2012, 12:17 PM

If it's not offensive to some people, then why are we talking about it?

footfootfoot · 11-12-2012, 12:27 PM

I tried to find a clip of Louis C.K. doing his rant about "The N word" from his show, Chewed Up, but they all had ads in front of them. Which sucks because they are stealing his content and monetizing it. Steal it and put it up for free, OK, but earning ad revenue? fuck you.

Anyway, look for it.

Nevermind, here's the transcript:

...The thing that offends me the most, is every time that I hear the “N” word. Not “nigger” by the way. I mean the “N” word, literally whenever a white lady on CNN with nice hair says: “The ‘N’ word.” That’s just white people getting away with saying nigger, that’s all that is. They found a way to say nigger. “N word.” It’s bullshit cause when you say the “N word” you put the word nigger in the listeners head. That’s what saying a word is. You say the N word and I go oh she means nigger. You're making me say it in my head. Why don’t you fucking say it instead and take responsibility, with the shitty words you wanna say. Just say it, don’t hide behind the first letter like a faggot just say it, say nigger you stupid cunt. I don’t know I don’t care. Somebody will kick my ass.

I mean all this sh!t goes on in my head. I don’t – really – like: I thought the word nigger the other day – I’m gonna tell you this story and it wasn’t racist it wasn’t even a race even connotation, let me tell you what happened. I went to a coffee place and it was a – cool a cool indie coffee – I don’t like Starbucks anymore cause you go there and they – they don’t care anymore, they just press a button and some old ladies diarrhea comes out and they give it to you. So I go to a young people cool coffee place with a like: My band’s playing notices on the wall. And it’s like called The hollowing do-whatever thing. The dude behind the counter has got a tight t shirt and a ponytail and he’s ah: “What’s up man?” And I was like: “Hey could I get a cappuccino?” And he’s like: “Ya, right on, ya.” Really like. He’s amazed that he could help me like. “Oh ya, I got all the stuff right here.” “That’s awesome.” And so he starts making my coffee just so, he works so hard, he ground the beans, just that one cup and put em in the thing and tamped them with this old thing, he click clacked and click and fuckin and then he took the milk and he frothed it for like an hour and then he banged it on the counter, I don’t know why – it was awesome, he scooped it in, and put a little Cocoa on it. And then “Here you go, man.” And I was just blown away. For some reason as I left there the thought in my head was: “That nigger made the shit out of my coffee.” I don’t know why. He wasn’t black. It was what was in my heart for some reason. Was that nigger made the shit out of my coffee. I don’t know. I don’t care.

glatt · 11-12-2012, 01:04 PM

Yeah. I agree with him. But at the same time, I have a hard time bringing myself to type the actual word.

Flint · 11-12-2012, 01:33 PM

Glatt, we're talking about it #1 because UT mentioned it; but I get your point, he mentioned the thing that exists, that we're talking about. The question to me is, not why are we talking about it by why does it exist? I think that a large part of the reason is that as a modern, enlightened society we get into a sort of competition to find things to be offended by--it's a way of showing our refined cultural acumen, and as we all know, people love to show off and look superior.

Now, when making that effort, we have to pretend to forget what words mean, I draw the line. Because, to me intellectual honesty is more important than a semantic pissing contest.

Our society moves forward at a blistering pace, with new information and modes of communication developing overnight, leading us to Kurzweil's predicted singularity in 2045, for which known sociological models cannot make predictions. In this context, I am baffled that as I discuss this topic on the magic box in my pocket which sends my thoughts all over the world in the blink of an eye, I might have to walk on eggshells because someone is arbitrarily choosing word definitions from a paper copy of a dictionary from before I was born!

Which is it? Are we moving forwards or backwards?

Undertoad · 11-12-2012, 02:13 PM

I don't know. Sometimes a word will cross over the line and become hurtful and I don't like to be an asshole and I don't want to hurt anyone. On the other hand, retarded is such a useful and colorful term and people should buck up and stop their whining. I don't know.

Lamplighter · 11-12-2012, 02:15 PM

My lecture begins...

IMO, the written or spoken use of the "N-word" and "retard" points to
the character of the speaker, not the person or behavior, or the listener.

For parents and relatives of individuals with disabilities, the word "retarded"
is not just some simple, clean, description of some silly/immature action.
It's has become a degrading, prejudiced word that conveys that
the speaker has little or no respect for their child.
... particularly since that same kind of "retarded behavior" can/does
come about through accident or illness, not just mental maturity.

The word used to be in the name of the national organization,
the ARC, Association for Retarded Children. As those children grew older,
the group changed the name to Association for Retarded Citizens.
Now, due to inappropriate schoolyard use of "retard", the organization
has become simply, The ARC of the Untied States.

The Wiki description of "Euphemism treadmill" with respect
to Disability and Handicap is worth reading (here)

Ironically, parents originally used the word "retarded" as a word of hope !
... their hope that with time their child catch up and eventually be "normal" for their age.
But the degrading use of the word by others prompted the changes in the meaning of the ARC.

If you're not a Black-American or a relative of a person with disabilities,
you are probably not feeling the real pain the use of such words can/does inflict.

My bottom line is in my signature below...

11-12-2012, 11:10 AM	#125
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	But seriously, we all know what it means. Right now I am spending a lot of time with a close friend of ours whose daughter is severely developmentally delayed. You don't use the "R" word around Mama bear simply because you don't want to get the lecture. Immediately afterwards, when not in her presence and there is no imminent argument-causing subjects hanging over your head like a grand piano, cultural normalcy and the accepted meanings of words in the English language resumes. Sorry folks, words have meanings. We don't get to force a custom dictionary on the rest of humanity. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

11-12-2012, 11:36 AM	#127
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	But, I want to use the word Nutritious. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

11-12-2012, 12:09 PM	#129
limey Encroaching on your decrees Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: An island within the south-west coast of Scotland Posts: 7,016	Imbecile. __________________ Living it up on the edge ... of civilisation, within the southwest coast of

11-12-2012, 12:27 PM	#131
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	I tried to find a clip of Louis C.K. doing his rant about "The N word" from his show, Chewed Up, but they all had ads in front of them. Which sucks because they are stealing his content and monetizing it. Steal it and put it up for free, OK, but earning ad revenue? fuck you. Anyway, look for it. Nevermind, here's the transcript: ...The thing that offends me the most, is every time that I hear the “N” word. Not “nigger” by the way. I mean the “N” word, literally whenever a white lady on CNN with nice hair says: “The ‘N’ word.” That’s just white people getting away with saying nigger, that’s all that is. They found a way to say nigger. “N word.” It’s bullshit cause when you say the “N word” you put the word nigger in the listeners head. That’s what saying a word is. You say the N word and I go oh she means nigger. You're making me say it in my head. Why don’t you fucking say it instead and take responsibility, with the shitty words you wanna say. Just say it, don’t hide behind the first letter like a faggot just say it, say nigger you stupid cunt. I don’t know I don’t care. Somebody will kick my ass. I mean all this sh!t goes on in my head. I don’t – really – like: I thought the word nigger the other day – I’m gonna tell you this story and it wasn’t racist it wasn’t even a race even connotation, let me tell you what happened. I went to a coffee place and it was a – cool a cool indie coffee – I don’t like Starbucks anymore cause you go there and they – they don’t care anymore, they just press a button and some old ladies diarrhea comes out and they give it to you. So I go to a young people cool coffee place with a like: My band’s playing notices on the wall. And it’s like called The hollowing do-whatever thing. The dude behind the counter has got a tight t shirt and a ponytail and he’s ah: “What’s up man?” And I was like: “Hey could I get a cappuccino?” And he’s like: “Ya, right on, ya.” Really like. He’s amazed that he could help me like. “Oh ya, I got all the stuff right here.” “That’s awesome.” And so he starts making my coffee just so, he works so hard, he ground the beans, just that one cup and put em in the thing and tamped them with this old thing, he click clacked and click and fuckin and then he took the milk and he frothed it for like an hour and then he banged it on the counter, I don’t know why – it was awesome, he scooped it in, and put a little Cocoa on it. And then “Here you go, man.” And I was just blown away. For some reason as I left there the thought in my head was: “That nigger made the shit out of my coffee.” I don’t know why. He wasn’t black. It was what was in my heart for some reason. Was that nigger made the shit out of my coffee. I don’t know. I don’t care. __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

11-12-2012, 01:33 PM	#133
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	Glatt, we're talking about it #1 because UT mentioned it; but I get your point, he mentioned the thing that exists, that we're talking about. The question to me is, not why are we talking about it by why does it exist? I think that a large part of the reason is that as a modern, enlightened society we get into a sort of competition to find things to be offended by--it's a way of showing our refined cultural acumen, and as we all know, people love to show off and look superior. Now, when making that effort, we have to pretend to forget what words mean, I draw the line. Because, to me intellectual honesty is more important than a semantic pissing contest. Our society moves forward at a blistering pace, with new information and modes of communication developing overnight, leading us to Kurzweil's predicted singularity in 2045, for which known sociological models cannot make predictions. In this context, I am baffled that as I discuss this topic on the magic box in my pocket which sends my thoughts all over the world in the blink of an eye, I might have to walk on eggshells because someone is arbitrarily choosing word definitions from a paper copy of a dictionary from before I was born! Which is it? Are we moving forwards or backwards? __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

11-12-2012, 10:28 AM	#122
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	On today's edition of "Retarded or High", a woman could not comprehend the price of having two keys made. We duplicate keys for $2 each, and after digging in her pockets and bringing out all her nickels, the woman found that she only had $3.50. It took me about three minutes to explain that either I could make one key for $2, or she could come back with fifty more cents and I could make both keys. In this case she was ruled Retarded. About 10% of our customers are profoundly uneducated and moronic. That part of the job is pretty sad. And I know we're not supposed to use the word "retarded", but I'm on the fence here because these people are just amazingly fucking retarded. I'm not sure how they get through their day.

11-12-2012, 10:53 AM	#124
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	I'm using it wrong!

11-12-2012, 12:17 PM	#130
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	If it's not offensive to some people, then why are we talking about it?

11-12-2012, 01:04 PM	#132
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Yeah. I agree with him. But at the same time, I have a hard time bringing myself to type the actual word.

11-12-2012, 02:13 PM	#134
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	I don't know. Sometimes a word will cross over the line and become hurtful and I don't like to be an asshole and I don't want to hurt anyone. On the other hand, retarded is such a useful and colorful term and people should buck up and stop their whining. I don't know.

11-12-2012, 02:15 PM	#135
Lamplighter Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Bottom lands of the Missoula floods Posts: 6,402	My lecture begins... IMO, the written or spoken use of the "N-word" and "retard" points to the character of the speaker, not the person or behavior, or the listener. For parents and relatives of individuals with disabilities, the word "retarded" is not just some simple, clean, description of some silly/immature action. It's has become a degrading, prejudiced word that conveys that the speaker has little or no respect for their child. ... particularly since that same kind of "retarded behavior" can/does come about through accident or illness, not just mental maturity. The word used to be in the name of the national organization, the ARC, Association for Retarded Children. As those children grew older, the group changed the name to Association for Retarded Citizens. Now, due to inappropriate schoolyard use of "retard", the organization has become simply, The ARC of the Untied States. The Wiki description of "Euphemism treadmill" with respect to Disability and Handicap is worth reading (here) Ironically, parents originally used the word "retarded" as a word of hope ! ... their hope that with time their child catch up and eventually be "normal" for their age. But the degrading use of the word by others prompted the changes in the meaning of the ARC. If you're not a Black-American or a relative of a person with disabilities, you are probably not feeling the real pain the use of such words can/does inflict. My bottom line is in my signature below...

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