WARNING: Some possibly offensive language will be used in the thread below. If you are the kind of person who is easily offended, you might want to stick around. If you're easily offended AND like to pick fights in forums, piss off. Intelligent thoughts only please. Thank you.
Now a couple weeks ago I happened across South Park's most recent foray into the satirization of foul language, the lampooning of the current uses of the term 'fag'. It centered around the children of South Park calling an annoying group of Harley-riding jerks 'fags' seemingly completely oblivious to its connotation as a modern slur toward gays. They simply saw someone they didn't like and simply called them fags.
Now think of the brats on XBoxLive. How many times have you heard some irritating little 8-year-old idiot call someone who pwned him 'fag' in his whiny, little voice? If you're the average XBL player, probably more than you'd like. But have you ever stopped to consider if they know what they're saying, or ask them if they know what the words leaving their pitchy vocal chords actually mean?
I don't actually think that they do know (and if they do, they're just "showing off" in that annoying faux-macho manner our generation did during our middle/high school years). But therein lies the issue at hand: these kids don't use the word 'fag' in its (currently) accepted connotation, gay people, but instead substitute a different meaning (People I don't like") in its place.
Now I pose a question to you: Should the current meaning behind 'fag' change, why, and if so, how?
For starters I'll put forward three future options, feel free to add your own (within reason).
1) Segregation, aka the '******' route
'******' is undeniably a negative word, used originally as an insult to blacks. It was segregated from the other vulgarities, and is now only used by the people it was used to insult (ironies abound!)
Result: The word is deemed unacceptable by the grand majority of society and is only acceptable by a small subsection of the population and then only in particular situations.
See also: **** (outside Britain)
2) Detoxification, aka the '************' route
'************' should the most disgusting and unacceptable word in the English language, what with the incest connotation as clear as day (fucker of mothers). But instead, people use it like its no big deal; it's just another way of saying asshole.
Result: The original meaning of the word is completely absent in its modern usage, usurped by another, less offensive meaning.
See also: Son-of-a-*****, douchebag, dick, etc.
3) Obsolescence, aka the 'Humbug' route
For context, 'humbug' was the 19th century equivalent to 'bullshit' (Remember that next time you see Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol'). Nowadays, hearing someone say humbug seems so antiquated and silly, even though it was immensly offensive at the time.
Result: The word becomes out-of-date and obsolete, likely making room for another word to take its place.
See also: Gay, as in "happy"
So again:
Should the current meaning behind 'fag' change, why, and if so, how?
Now a couple weeks ago I happened across South Park's most recent foray into the satirization of foul language, the lampooning of the current uses of the term 'fag'. It centered around the children of South Park calling an annoying group of Harley-riding jerks 'fags' seemingly completely oblivious to its connotation as a modern slur toward gays. They simply saw someone they didn't like and simply called them fags.
Now think of the brats on XBoxLive. How many times have you heard some irritating little 8-year-old idiot call someone who pwned him 'fag' in his whiny, little voice? If you're the average XBL player, probably more than you'd like. But have you ever stopped to consider if they know what they're saying, or ask them if they know what the words leaving their pitchy vocal chords actually mean?
I don't actually think that they do know (and if they do, they're just "showing off" in that annoying faux-macho manner our generation did during our middle/high school years). But therein lies the issue at hand: these kids don't use the word 'fag' in its (currently) accepted connotation, gay people, but instead substitute a different meaning (People I don't like") in its place.
Now I pose a question to you: Should the current meaning behind 'fag' change, why, and if so, how?
For starters I'll put forward three future options, feel free to add your own (within reason).
1) Segregation, aka the '******' route
'******' is undeniably a negative word, used originally as an insult to blacks. It was segregated from the other vulgarities, and is now only used by the people it was used to insult (ironies abound!)
Result: The word is deemed unacceptable by the grand majority of society and is only acceptable by a small subsection of the population and then only in particular situations.
See also: **** (outside Britain)
2) Detoxification, aka the '************' route
'************' should the most disgusting and unacceptable word in the English language, what with the incest connotation as clear as day (fucker of mothers). But instead, people use it like its no big deal; it's just another way of saying asshole.
Result: The original meaning of the word is completely absent in its modern usage, usurped by another, less offensive meaning.
See also: Son-of-a-*****, douchebag, dick, etc.
3) Obsolescence, aka the 'Humbug' route
For context, 'humbug' was the 19th century equivalent to 'bullshit' (Remember that next time you see Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol'). Nowadays, hearing someone say humbug seems so antiquated and silly, even though it was immensly offensive at the time.
Result: The word becomes out-of-date and obsolete, likely making room for another word to take its place.
See also: Gay, as in "happy"
So again:
Should the current meaning behind 'fag' change, why, and if so, how?
