Using autism and cancer in comments and as a derogatory term...

[Doozer]

But if two people are having a conversation and they use the vernacular OP describes like "cancerous", "autistic", or even "retarded" and it's to refer to one particular thing and not a person, then it has absolutely nothing to do with me. If it's in the chat and those terms happen to bother you, then, like I said, report, ignore it, blacklist or, better yet, log out. Sure, speak up, you're well within your right. Maybe they'll agree to oblige your request, but on the off chance that they don't, consult the other options. I feel only when it's absolutely necessary (like in the examples I mentioned before, just to keep track) should we police each other's language, but aside from that, speak freely.

No. "Cancerous" I feel is in a weird grey area and can't comment on where it stands in the guidelines, but using "autistic" in a negative way (show me a time where someone said "wow that's autistic" and meant it in a good way, please) is offensive. And I really don't need to explain to you how there's literally never an acceptable time to call something "retarded". If I see that I will say to stop, and if they don't (and they never do), I report it. There's no excuse. Most of the time what people say that I report, especially words like "retarded", are considered offensive language, which is prohibited in the ToS. Rules are rules, and even if it wasn't a rule, there's no excuse to stand idly by and let people use language like that. There's plenty of words they can use, this isn't censorship.

Certain words, phrases, etc. are -- by default -- violent, hateful, or discriminatory, no matter the context. People will justify using words that aren't used to hurt them by saying "oh it's just a word it has no power" or "get tougher skin" but never stop to think about the impact words can and do have. People here get scared by words like "pronouns" or "gender" but think slurs and hateful words are fine? That makes sense.

I will always take the time to report those people because someone has to, and I guess it's not going to be you.

[ScarboroughFairy]

I will always take the time to report those people because someone has to, and I guess it's not going to be you.

Unless it's for the reasons I've stated earlier, you can bet your bottom dollar I absolutely will not. That might be crass and uncouth to you, maybe even alien, but, eh, takes all kinds, don't it? There are keenly specific things I take an issue with, those words and a few others aren't some of them.

Serious question, though, on this point and I promise I'm not trying to derail:

Most of the time what people say that I report, especially words like "retarded", are considered offensive language, which is prohibited in the ToS.

I take it you're one of them sticklers that follow every word of the ToS to the tee, no? What's your view on parsing?

[whiskeybravo]

My mother is on her 2nd fight against cancer.

My grandfather passed away a few years back from a rare form of brain cancer.

Not gonna stop me from calling these forums cancer. Or calling elitist asshats in PF cancer. Jokes are jokes, you don't have to find them funny - but it's no reason to be offended. If you are offended, then you're just a snowflake. #sorrynotsorry

[Doozer]

Serious question, though, on this point and I promise I'm not trying to derail: I take it you're one of them sticklers that follow every word of the ToS to the tee, no? What's your view on parsing?

You can say you're not trying to derail but that literally is derailing. My opinion on parsing is 100% irrelevant to what's being discussed.

And if you look, I said "and even if it wasn't a rule", implying that there's this thing called morality and I have certain morals that something align with set rules. I refuse to stand by and watch someone say offensive things because someone who probably contributes to it says to ignore it. I've spent my entire life being bullied because other people wouldn't step in and say anything. So whether it's in a game or in real life, I will say something if I see something unjust happening. Someone has to. Might as well be me.

[ScarboroughFairy]

You can say you're not trying to derail but that literally is derailing. My opinion on parsing is 100% irrelevant to what's being discussed.

Less of a derailment, more of an aside, but okay. You're well within your right to plead the 5th decline to answer.

And if you look, I said "and even if it wasn't a rule", implying that there's this thing called morality and I have certain morals that something align with set rules.

You don't need to virtue signal, we're talking about the use of vernacular in a videogame. You and a few others are treating this like it's a serious crusade. Against "bad words", no less.

I refuse to stand by and watch someone say offensive things because someone who probably contributes to it says to ignore it.

Mighty passive-aggressive way to infer I engage in that behavior.

I've spent my entire life being bullied because other people wouldn't step in and say anything. So whether it's in a game or in real life, I will say something if I see something unjust happening. Someone has to. Might as well be me.

Ah, so it's a personal thing. I get that, but if you go back and reread my posts, you'd see that I agree with you that it is absolutely necessary to confront the issue when this sort of language is used to bully and harass. I don't even know why you reiterated this point. Aside from that, speak freely.

[Khalen_Shield]

Oh god... are we really doing this

[Melichoir]

Certain words, phrases, etc. are -- by default -- violent, hateful, or discriminatory, no matter the context.

So when the black american community uses the N-word for their fellow black americans in the context of being friends or ribbing each other, thats not acceptable according to ...you? Yes, because you get to determine what other's find acceptable or not, particularly among friends. This is the entirety of the issue when it comes to slang and context. It's like telling people who want to re-appropriate a word to take it away from the racists that they cant cause you think its wrong no matter what.I happily disagree with you on the basis that there are words that are so foul they cannot be uttered under any circumstance. I think this point of view is backwards, only empowers the negative aspects of that word when used in a derogatory fashion, and enables tone policing.

Also words, in of themselves, are not violence. Words are nothing more than sound weve given meaning too. But the actual act of violence is one dependent on physical force. Typically, when people talk about words being violent, theyre conflating violence with abuse or calls to action. My quick dab at politics on thsi is that the redefining of words = violence is done because it is expedient way to give people the moral authority to use physical violence against people who say objectionable things. You are morally in the right to punch back if someone punches you first. If you turn words into violence, you can logically deduce that they have 'punched you' first, so its ok to resort to violence and action. This is bad, broadly, because this normalizes violence against people who have differences of opinion or speech patterns that you do not approve of. And historically, whenever this kind of thinking is employed, things go to hell pretty quick because both sides adopt this position. It's a "If youre gonna behave this way, so will I." Part of public dialogue depends on us not beating each other to a pulp over the things we say.

I've spent my entire life being bullied because other people wouldn't step in and say anything. So whether it's in a game or in real life, I will say something if I see something unjust happening. Someone has to. Might as well be me.

Ive spent a lot of my youth being bullied, so I can understand the sentiment of standing up for others. The difference, however, is I think itd be silly of me to say "Ive been bullied, so I will bully and police others to make sure it doesnt happen.". It's really easy to think that just because you mean well, that youre doing the right thing. However, if not very very careful, youll end up the very thing you despise and will feel morally justified in being it. Some of the biggest bullies are people who think theyre morally justified in being that way.

Anyways, thats enough of this for me.

[ScarboroughFairy]

Oh god... are we really doing this

Get comfortable, we're about to wax philosophical on some personal matters.

[DumdogsWorld]

This forum is beginning to become one of the reasons I wish I could un-read a thread.

[Reimmi]

I have autism myself but i kinda just shrug it off, never feel offended by people calling things autistic
My mother is currently struggling with cancer, and again i don't feel offended by people calling things cancerous. I try to distance myself from those people, but i don't really get upset.

Now, there's a difference between people calling things/actions autistic/cancerous, and people making fun of me for being autistic, or people laughing at others with cancer, now that can get to me and those people are truly awful.