[Titan]

Originally Posted by 4X4

... I disagree that "######" is offensive. It's just a word whose meaning has become ambiguous, and part of popular lexicon. Deciding to be offended by that word is your choice, just as it it your choice to be offended by stupid or idiot or fatso.

As has been said, you can have whatever opinion you want. The dictionary definitions I cite below would tend to disagree. Even Urban Dictionary if you can believe it.

Being a part of the popular lexicon is separate from the fact that the word is offensive. ###### is used many times in film and music. Does that make it okay? I would suggest not but your opinion can differ.

I actually think you do have a point about Fatso's user name. Although, the reasons he/she adopted it are benign, the reality is you would be unlikely to call someone that term to their face, particularly if they are in fact overweight. I would agree some would take offense. In fact, if I understand the premise of the movie, it is in fact used in a derogatory term. Do I think he/she should change it? Not really, or sure, I actually don't care that much. However, even if we assume some hypocrisy, it in no way diminishes the strength of the argument Fatso put forward. (I actually do cringe a bit when I type that so... maybe I do find it a tad offensive.)

The irony is that this is the exact argument that was raised in the YLYL imbroglio. The CP powers that be decided that ant-female postings were not appropriate. I agree with that. I also think we should not have threads where the use of ###### is openly used. Same for ######. I think ###### is probably in the same group of words. Is it the same? No. Is it as bad? No. Is that enough to save it? No. In my opinion, of course.

(The dictionary listings all had the alternate meanings of the word as well. Of course, I only selected the part that applied to this conversation. I agree completely that there are many valid uses of the word.

Dictionary.com
Slang: Disparaging and Offensive.
a contemptuous term used to refer to a person who cognitively impaired.
a person who is stupid, obtuse, or ineffective in some way:
a hopeless social ######.

Merriam-Webster:

often offensive : a ######ed person; also : a person held to resemble a ######ed person in behavior

urban Dictionary: (For ####s and giggles)

######
A person born with a mental condition and therefore has to work a million times harder to be able to do simple things (such as learn and communicate) that we take for granted. On top of this, a ###### will usually suffer a lot of ridicule from society because people fear what they do not understand. The people who choose to make fun of the mental ######ed tend to be complete morons and cannot comprehend that these people have feelings and emotions just like anyone else.
I find it amusing that saying somebody has cancer would not be taken as a joke and yet, using another disease such as mental ######ed as an insult is common among society, and many do not realize that it is very offensive and that there is something seriously wrong about it.
by unknown June 29, 2003