Re: September\'s Bells and Schools Thread
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I use 'retarded' quite often regarding poker players and plays. It seems about as precise and pithy a word as I can think of. If someone finds it offensive then they're probably just gay.
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i feel like this mentality accurately expresses the way i feel about word choice around close friends. (they know i am not a hateful or bigoted person, so i feel free to use offensive words because my friends will understand the intent).
around new people, you can very quickly judge whether or not somoene will be bothered by the use of the word "retarded," "gay," "bitch," and on down the line. use discretion based on that judgment. it's pretty simple to avoid offending people as long as you hold back a little until you know them better.
this is really a natural extension of the fact that while you might tell your best friend his hair cut is horrible or call him a complete idiot for not liking a certain movie, you wouldn't say the same kind of negative comments to a person in the first 15 minutes after you meet them.
i say the f-word entirely too frequently and i still avoid using it when im visiting my grandparents.
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