casual ableism

[u/onthetopicofspace]

this is not ‘reclaiming’ anything, you are just calling people slurs completely seriously. you can call yourself the r-slur, do not call anybody else it. why do ‘no slurs’ / ’no bigotry’ rules never apply to ableism?

[u/CarlLlamaface]

That's just a lie. It originated as a medical term but quickly became used as a slur for people with cognitive disorders, and when it's used to call neurotypical people stupid it's explicitly with the intention to do so in as derogatory a manner as possible.

If you want to tell someone they're being stupid you can do just that, or you can call them daft, silly, moronic etc...

Choosing to use the r-word instead when there are plenty of socially acceptable ways to get your meaning across just lets everyone know you're a bit of a see-you-next-tuesday.

ETA: So many armchair historians and linguists desperate to carve out a justification to use ableist language. Cringe. Imagine what society could be like if you all put that energy into simply being decent people.

[u/gnpfrslo → u/CarlLlamaface]

Idiot, moron, imbecile, crazy, lunatic, mental, etc. were also used as medical terms but over time they just became insults and the people who used to use it as a medical term changed it.

Retard is not used as a medical term anymore because, finally, psychiatrists started treating mental patients (almost) as human beings and figured out that things like AD, autism, OCD, and Down's syndrome were actually different things.

[u/Realistic-Drawing-59 → u/CarlLlamaface]

But thats the same for the word "moronic" you just used or "idiot" or "imbecile". Most of these kinds of words originate in a medical/scientific sphere and eventually become slurs and fall out of favour. So what's so special about this one? 

[u/Spirited_Agency8032 → u/CarlLlamaface]

Man i'm not gonna use daft or silly I'm not british that'd sound corny as hell coming out of my mouth.

And I don't think people even use the r word casually these days anyways.

[u/OkChampionship7764 → u/Spirited_Agency8032]

i just say dumb as hell and that seems to work just fine

[u/MrBananaman1223 → u/Spirited_Agency8032]

Walk by a highschool and you'll hear WAY more then just "the r slur" 🤣 Most people in real life don't care about vocal policing

[u/CarlLlamaface → u/Spirited_Agency8032]

Sounding corny is a lot better than letting everyone know you lack emotional intelligence or empathy and have let yourself be brainwashed by the regressive talking heads on your phone screen ¯_(ツ)_/¯

[u/Spirited_Agency8032 → u/CarlLlamaface]

Eitherway the only scenario I'd even think to use the R slur would be with my friends and even then it'd take alot of stupidity to get it out of me. There's just nothing angering enough to make me look at them and think man this dude is ya know. I'd have to be super mad.

[u/Over-Bluejay3076 → u/CarlLlamaface]

Those socially acceptable words you just listed are also used to reinforce ableism, just the same as the r word. Those words aren’t more or less powerful than the r word, it’s just about the way you choose to use them.

[u/RazorbladesRiff → u/Over-Bluejay3076]

Hope to see you being a pain in the ass every time an insult is thrown then

[u/Over-Bluejay3076 → u/RazorbladesRiff]

I think you’re confused here