How do we educate people with regards to appropriate use of words?

[lou33]

I'm getting more and more depressed at the use of inappropriate words , mainly in this country, but i hear a lot coming from the states as well through films.

Specifically this morning I am talking of the word "spaz", it's used in popbitch today allegedly used by people at brooklyn beckham's old school, but in fact there are many terms i find equally offensive and unnecessary.

Is there anyone out there who can explain to me why it is funny to take the pi*s out of people for things they have no chice about, like disabilities and skin colour?

I know background and education have a big part to play, but i come from the sort of upbringing that you could theorise would make me more likely to use these awful negative terms, yet i just knew they were wrong , even as a child.

It makes me both sad and angry that i still read, see, hear this all around me (and yes i do take people to task over it, and yes i do hear the word spaz used a lot)

How can this be changed, or do you think it can't?

I am missing your point, you are missing other peoples points, get it?

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sorry lou, i felt a funny coming on.

the only way i can think of changing attitudes would be to make the word one of those taboo type words that people limit themselves to saying.

ie...

c* is socially unacceptable
retard is getting their but north americans still seem to think they can use that term freely.
all the racial related ones like nigger, paki, chink are all in the the boat.

how to do this, i don't know.

thankfully I've not heard the word spaz or similar used, not for a long, long time anyway, but if I do I would certainly say something.I know Richard Curtis used it in his film and I wrote to him along with many others to say it shouldn't have been used.

Hope you're okay lou. TC x

it's not just spaz, but all the others as well, surely you only need common sense to know they are wrong?

I think Blus post summed it up nicely for me

yes lou, but many people don't have common sense.

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i find it really upsetting actually, the thought of my son, and my nephew , for example, going through life having to endure those sort of remarks

i dont take the piss out of people with c.p. i am saying certain words are used without any prejudism, it is just a fshionable humour, Right or wrong, it is something that haooens, It is not a personal attack on your children. I also feel that everyone can pick up on derrgotary terms and turn it round as a personal attack.
People use words, fat, ugly, stupid, specky, thicko, slag, this is wrong when it is a bully tactic but i forgive those who just say it wothout being vindictive thinking they are funny.

I have seen in films people being called slags because they are sexually assaulted, am i a salg, nope, did i take offense, nope, is it a script, yep.

i agree with you pruni

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who are you to judge FF?

I agree that there are so many different 'insults' that can be made. Whether they are about social class, disabilities, skin colour, race, religion.

I don't think it is right to use any of the words whether they are meant with malice or not. I got het up on a ;chav' thread months ago but get even more annoyed about disability or racial insults - it is not on. And I don't have any immediate reason n my family to get upset so i imagine it would make me even more cross if I were in lou's situation

as much as i love you FF, i dont think its in the same league

Oh that's okay then FF, yeah, yeah, it's totally okay to use these words, it's madness to be offened by words like spaz, mong, and so on.

Yeah right.

FF i corssed pots with your last post........

last TWO posts

I find this very depressing too lou. I think the continual 'labelling' of people is a terrible trait and even though 'chav' is allegedly harmless it still involves one set of people calling another perceived set names. 'Spaz' is appalling. I do challenge this, on and on and don't care who is irritated by my response.

Watch out for current political use of 'civilised', in response to last week's atrocities in London, ie: discussions along the line of "what can be done to protect our 'civilsied' society?" I question how civilised it is. I see a real lack of respect, a need to label and criticise and appalling bad language.

my best friend is constantly slagging off fat people and often comments about weight (in terms of celebraties ect . .) I find it so tactless because I am very overweight. She doesn't seem to put the two together. I told her once and she said "but I dont see you as fat" - which is ridiculus as I am 19 stone!
I tend to laugh it off, but it does hurt. Just because you are used to hearing words they still hurt. So I cant imagine what it is like for children.

i just want a nice debate about this please

yes well done for getting my poiint all of you, i call people niggers, spcks, coons, fat, infact i hate most of society and completely respect your image of me.

Or perhaps i was just pointing out that half the time people dont know they are causing hurt and you shouldn't feel so pained by it , as the worlkd is still full of good people who mean no wrong.

fuck it