lostonearth35 wrote:
I'm 51, female and white so I'm a politically incorrect Karen by default. As a kid I heard other kids at school using the N word and later at home I my mom about it, and she said it was very offensive to black people, so I decided never to use that word, ever. On the other hand I feel like we have to walk constantly on eggshells. I'm still trying to not say "lame", which was popular slang back in the 80s and 90s for something you didn't like, but it's original meaning was for someone who can't or has trouble walking. But how many people actually know that these days? They don't even know "gay" used to just mean "happy". Or that "dumb" used to mean "mute".
Actually now, maybe it's saying someone is lame because they can't walk is ableist now, just like "dumb" is now ableist because it's outdated and everyone thinks it means "stupid", anyway.
I believe historically there was a tie between the concept of being stupid and not being able to communicate.
At least, the relationship between
intelligent and
intelligible seems to hint at it.
_________________
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If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing. —Malcolm X
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