Being given the label "ret*d"

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The word can be insensitive depending on how its used, but it doesn't really bother me when used with a grain of salt. After all, I'm sure all of us use some words like "idiot", "moron", or "imbecile"... but look up the original meanings of those words. I'm not a fan of insensitivity at all, but I also don't think people should walk on eggshells to be politically correct.

The original meaning of those words was variations on "mentally ret*d", yes. Those words became acceptable stand-ins for "jerk who doesn't pay attention or makes bad decisions" only after they were retired by the medical community.

The problem with using "ret*d" as an insult to mean "clueless jerk" is that it hasn't yet been retired by the medical community. Once the medical community abandons "ret*d" entirely and all the people who have it on their medical records have died of old age, it will become an acceptable alternative to "idiot". But as long as it is on any living person's medical record, it should not be used as an insult.

This is where Callista steps in and says that the core problem is not the vocabulary per se, but rather seeing intellectual disabilties as a debased and horrible condition. And until we stop doing that, a merry-go-round of retiring one word after another as each one morphs into an insult is just avoiding confronting the core problem.

And she's right.

(Callista- you made that point many months ago the last time I made almost the exact same post. These "why can't I say 'ret*d'?" posts are almost as common as "am I an Aspie?" posts.)

(Sorry if posted twice--WP overload error.)

I like "absent-minded professor" better, for myself.

And there's always my mom's classic (because she had to deal with an ADHD husband AND an ADHD daughter): "I'm glad you're BOOK-smart" (because you're lacking in the common-sense department).

As to the video linked to this thread--lots of good food for thought in there...I thought she made her points very well. (And I must add this ADHD moment...KITTY!! !! )

Dang, am I that predictable?

*insert lecture on "disability is not bad" here*

I hate the term Mongoloid, and old term for "ret*d". As a Asian, of Mongolid stock this is very offensive for me.

i learned "mongoloids " suffer from mongolianism. they are now referred to as "down's syndrome" people.
they have a forked tongue and they look very similar to each other.
they have a very high palate and trouble with their "bite".
i believe they have an iq of 30-70 and they have an extra chromosome.
so instead of having 23 pairs, they have another unpaired one that means they have 47 chromosomes.

so you are from mongolia. no one who is of any importance would consider all people from mongolia to be down's syndrome people.

Yes, you are that predictable. But that's a good thing. I wasn't taunting you for predictability. I was giving credit where credit is due. In the last go-round of this debate (Spring?), I posted the same argument about the medical community's continued use of "ret*d" and you wrote a very compelling post about how an entire paradigm shift was needed, not just a vocabulary shift. I wanted to give you credit for that. I hadn't thought about things from that angle. I was looking at the detail of current vocabulary and missing the big picture of why certain medical terms always become insults eventually. That post really got me thinking and I hope it got other people thinking too. I see you as a crusader. Crusaders must necessarily repeat their points until the points click with people.

Actually my therapist used that exact phrase today, I'm "socially ret*d". It hurts some, but it was true also.

When I was 7 my teacher told my mum I am ret*d and also unteacheable. I am not ret*d. I am not unteachable.

Actually, some of those words like 'idiot' were in general use as a term for a stupid person before they were in medical use for mental retardation.

I did not know that. I had always given the medical community the benefit of a doubt and thought they coined the words and then the words got downgraded to insults over time. Now you tell me they took the insults and used them as medical terms. I suppose I could be generous and not assume that they were insults before they were medical terms (then back to insults). But being realistic I suppose they were always insults that got some temporary use as medical terms. I did not know that. (...sigh...)

If Callista is a crusader (my very positive opinion), I'm a blind optimist- always giving benefit of a doubt. Sometimes that works out. Sometimes it doesn't.

I was called a ret*d a lot by the other kids at school.

Don't listen to the weak fools who label one as a ret*d for being different in personality.
They are a waste of time and need not get to people.
Anyone who gets attacked in this way, just realize that the bullies are stupid, not you.

I was called a ret*d back in grade school. Nevermind the fact that I was one of the smartest kids in my class, if you act differently you must be ret*d.

That's what happened to me, too. It didn't help much that I was put in special education classes.

Deep down inside I'd say, that I would come under the label for, when I was much younger often it was perceived that, I must have been very low intellectual wise for, not picking up on various educational components and all..I'll go on the record as stating, that I was in Special Education while in school though, at that time there was no definition of AS that existed therefore, I wound uo merely drifting in school just trying to makei it by which I did but, much to my hopes & dreams of an occupational future..Well, These days, I try to not let past torments bother me though there has been times where I've actually been treated like I was intensely stupid even by fellow Aspies without naming persons here on WP..In conclusion intelligence is always variable as, your IQ score can go up and down throughout your entire life..