Openly nerdy, seldom tardy
I admit to being nerd-like but I am not often late! Except with this post. It has been long overdue.
I believe there are particular words (and derivations) that have no place in polite society. I am not talking about your run-of-the-mill "Hell" or "Damn". I don't even have much concern for Bart Simpson's use of the word "Ass". I can even say that I have become desensitized to the pervasive cable-TV "F*ck" (even though I cannot bring myself to type in the actual word).
There are words that are so reprehensible that they just plain don't get used.
I believe that "tard" is one of the words that not be used in polite society.
Growing up the clinical label "retarded" was applied to people who were developmentally challenged. Literally their development was retarded.
When the term "retard" was used in common language it was indicative of a speaker who was intent on demonstrating his/her ignorance as well as insensitivity. It was well understood that the person abusing the word "retard" was demonstrating their own lack of social development, their own retardation.
I recently came across the term "freetard" in reference to the Open Source Software movement. I believe it was meant to suggest that proponents of Free/Libre Open Source Software are in some way developmentally challenged. (See above, same rules apply.)
My real and underlying concern in this matter is that words carry with them the entire weight of their history. In our socially glib ignorance we insist that we know what any given word means and so we insist on unfettered license to use then at our discretion.
How willing are we to quickly insult another while undermining the very fabric of our culture and society.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.
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