Quote:
Originally Posted by anthonyk
Makes sense to me, Tigger.
But I gotta say that the whole "reclaiming the word and turning it into a positive" is  As long as a word is in common usage, it's going to take a lot longer to forget where it came from. It doesn't lose its power or some crap like that. All its racist baggage just gets dragged on into the future. Stop using it, and it fades into irrelevancy. |
Okay I disagree and I'll give you a few examples;
Motherfucker: at one time, the use of this word meant literally, one who has intercourse with his mother and has been the cause of many, many fights and perhaps even deaths.
Punk: at one time this word was synonymous with homosexual and it's use would immediately result in a fight. My father hated that word and would beat your ass if caught using it.
There are several others. In a way, the more it's used the LESS power it has imho. Watch TV and count how many words that are common place now that wouldn't have been allowed 20-40 years ago. Heck, kids barely get in trouble for saying shit, dick or asshole anymore.