I’ve never jumped out of a plane without a parachute. Fuck, I never even jumped like your supposed to, too scared, just sorta walked out timidly. No need to push me, but I wasn’t energetically thrusting out into the abyss either.
Who says this thread was made for your attention, and not Trixie’s?
Eyes do not call, mouths do.
I guess, but then I just want to eat it, because it looks like lime jelly, and then it makes me feel weird.
Do you have panic attacks also?
It’s a balancing act… and a game. Nothing serious.
Words are derogatory and demeaning only if that’s how you intend to use them. When black people call each other “nigger”, I don’t think they’re trying to insult each other or uphold a defamatory image of themselves. I can think of at least three things I think they’re trying to do with the words (when they’re not just parroting each other):
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Trying to taunt white people: we can say it but you can’t (ha! ha! ha!)
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Trying to get over the stigma: rather than shy away from it, shout it as loud as you can; show that it doesn’t bother you.
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Change the meaning: instead of an insult, it becomes like “friend” or “brother”.
^ They’re trying to take control of it, essentially. It becomes their word. They decide when and where to use it, whether it’s appropriate or not, to whom to say it, and what it means. ← That’s what I mean by stealing it back.
Point #3 in particular is why I think it isn’t necessarily derogatory, at least not at this point in the game (of course, it still depends on who says it: a white person or a black person). And this is just the way language works, how it evolves. The meanings of words change depending, for one thing, on how they’re used. A black person growing up today in a predominantly black community in the US will most likely have no clue the word once had derogatory connotations; she might just think it means “buddy”. And would she be wrong?
I’ll say…
Nah dude, they are really poking fun of themselves.
Same when they talk about eating watermelon. They are kind of aware of their own stereotypes.
Social justice warriors and white lesbians get more upset about it than most black people do.
Kind of like how a black person made this song. Or kind of like how a black person made the Boondocks TV show.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x5ZRAVXxr8[/youtube]
I have a black friend who wishes he wasn’t black. I have a black relative who thinks blacks are mostly dumb.
Ultimate Philosophy 1001
The proof is in the evidence. You may have simply said: Is Trixie the Leader of the Illuminati?
But you’re right. This is also about attention for Trixie.
You’re slipping, Trixie. Eyes certainly do call. Mine have called forth many more than a few men. 
That’s probably one of the reasons why we have the saying: The eyes are the mirrors to the soul - among other things.
There you go. Imagination is great.
Not normally I don’t have panic attacks.
Pain doesn’t necessarily bring on panic attacks - fear does and those awful things which we can’t control.
But I know that you do have them. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to try to stay away from what causes them - in your case, the new media, et cetera. That isn’t the same as ignoring reality but we don’t have to have that reality shoved in our faces over and over again. But I realize that it isn’t that simple for you.
I don’t have an All Seeing Eye as my avatar, so it wouldn’t have made any sense. Arc - you’re slipping.
Arc - you’re slipping.
What are you, the reverse of Mr. Litteral? You instantly plug in the obvious metaphor? Do you want a prize?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI4Ojgz5Qo4[/youtube]
Then why are you single? And why haven’t you put forth a pic on these humble ILP boards yet, Arc? Are you hiding something?
You’re confusing me for Mannequin.
Of course, that had to be there at first. There’s no way a derogatory term could catch on, especially among the group of people to whom the term is meant to apply, unless you added a bit of humor to it.
Humor is amazing at excusing what would otherwise be considered socially unacceptable behavior/statements. It’s the reason why comedians can get away with making a whole bunch of non-PC jokes. Not only can they get away with it in the name of humor, but people love it, they want it, they demand it. People will tolerate a hell of a lot if it only makes them laugh.
I used to work with a colleague who would make fun of almost everyone in the office–he’d pick on each of our idiosyncrasies, any characteristic of ours that was unique to us that could be mocked, but he did it in such a way that not only would everyone in the office laugh, but even the person it was directed to couldn’t help but laugh (myself included). In fact, the effect of humor was strong enough (at least in my case) that, in a way, I wanted him to make fun of me.
Humor, and those whose expertise it is (comedians), have always served as an outlet for societies the world over and through history, as an outlet for all the tensions and inhibitions of the more “serious” pressures of censorship that those in power impose on the people. It wasn’t uncommon in Renaissance Europe, for example, for theater to feature comedies in which royalty was made fun of for their discretions and faults. Now anyone during that time to speak up and criticize the crown would be risking severe penalties, possibly their lives, for their inordinance. But a well reputed play-write could write a comedy in which such the underhanded discretions and faults on the part of those in power were made fun of for the pleasure of the audience. Even if those to whom the jokes were directly failed to find within themselves a sense or humor in order to take it in good stride, they knew that what they were up against wasn’t just this sole comedian taking brazen steps towards undermining their authority, but a whole crowd of theater attendees who wanted the release that humors brings to their state of oppression. They knew that taking that away from such attendees wouldn’t go over very well, much like taking alcohol away from US citizens didn’t go over well when the 18th Amendment was ratified.
Black people in the US calling each other “nigger”, when done in good humor, has the same tension-releasing effect, and that results in people liking it (at least those who find the humor in it, black or white). At least that was the effect at first, which is why I say it has to be done in a humorous vein at first, but now it can be contextualize in a common, mundane sense–as if “nigger” just means “buddy”–though I think there still is some humor in it as your video evinces.
So yeah, I accept your contribution to my list of 3 possible motives for the use of “nigger” by the black community in the US. Congratulations! 
Look, I had a black relative who wanted his XBOX name to be 5 black ngers because it would be funny on the HALO killscreen to see was killed by 5 black ngers.
Of course, Feminists want to ban humor because they know it evades their censorship laws, basically, it is the proton torpedo going in their tight and tiny hole and they are the death czar.
Sadly, humor cannot be used to evade these cunts when you get down to it. You have to obey Hillary Clitton or else Big Mother will hack your computer or something, like she did the elections. (which of course, gave her erections.)
And let me assure you, my humor isn’t meant to give anyone any kind of release, they have to pay extra for that.
Actually I’m dead wrong, I want to release the entire world from the tyranny of the new world order and such and such.
Classic! 
There is certainly no shortage of feminists who seem completely drained of anything like a sense of humor.
Arc is just painfully, painfully, omg how did she ever even happen, nice.
Nice to see you haven’t changed Arc, how’ve you been…?
Why 5 black n**gers? What other colors are niggers supposed to be?
And what’s with the **? Are the illuminati watching?
I like the avatar, my mother has green eyes…but really though, arc…i think you will find i am the one who caused all the crying…and for you trixie, stop lying, you do have panic attacks, you admitted it saying the meds you take stops them, you also have laughing attacks which are heavily related to anxiety and panic…with that said, little princess it’s ok to be a vulnerable feelmale.
And another thing! Why is the ** covering up the i and the g? Wouldn’t it make more sense to cover both g’s, as in: ni**er? ← actually, it’s hard to tell what the word is in that case. But the i and the g are definitely the offending characters.
So you are unfamiliar with the term sand nigger
You know you sound exactly like Joker when you say that Trixie ha ha ha ha
Yes, I’m half sand nigger myself! Hey, you see that, Turd! I can myself a nigger after all!
Doesn’t that presuppose that they (your eyes) too will change as did the color of your skin?
How about a nice set of baby blues?
gib
Really? So, what is it that we are saying here, gib? That it is ONLY what is in our minds and our own speech which count? What about the person receiving the words? They are to simply eat the words whether they agree with their palate or not?
Do you feel that words have “meaning” and give “power”?
What would you say to the little black girl after both of you hear someone call her a “N”? What would you say? “Don’t worry honey he didn’t intend to hurt your feelings.”
Have you ever heard the saying: “Hell is paved with good intentions”?
There are words which standing alone mean nothing and there are words which, intent or no intent, are demeaning and derogatory.
That may be the case from their point of view but I think that it is the problem of NOT thinking - no awareness of what’s really going on.
Really? Do you actually believe that they think that YOU can’t say it?
Again, that might be the case with some of them but it is also the case of lying to one’s self. If a white person uses the word, it bothers them - they feel demeaned by it - even though in my book, it is the white person who demeans himself with words like that.
What happened to “Bro”?
Let’s say that these perspectives have some validity insofar as they are concerned, as far as I am concerned it’s still a problem of non-awareness - and perpetuating racism.
^
Do you really believe that?
If you mean demeaning and derogatory to the person, then I agree with you (sometimes, sort of); but I was talking about the word itself. While I think one ought to have a bit of sensitivity to how others take your words, I think it’s a two way street. I don’t believe in coddling people’s insecurities. It also requires some common sense, of course–if I walk up to a gang of black people on a street corner and hollar “Hey nigga’s!” ← The fault is mine for being a dufus. But if a black person so happen to read my comments in this thread, I should hope it’s clear that I’m joking (isn’t it?).
As far as my comments to Turd are concerned, he’s not black. And I hope no black people were reading (and if they were, I hope they have a sense of humor).
Uh… yes?
Well, it depends on the context of course. Is it another little girl or boy mimicking what they hear grown ups say? (and do black woman call each other “niggers”? Or is it “niggettes”?)
I know that’s not what you mean. You’re probably imagining another grown up coming by calling her “nigger” (white or black, I don’t think it matters in this case)–I probably wouldn’t assume good intentions (I could be wrong, but I wouldn’t assume it)–saying it to a child adds a whole other level of controversy (it’s not just that it’s the ‘n’ word). But it seems pretty common for black adults (for sure black males) to call each other “nigger”, and I think it’s become acceptable within that community. And if it’s acceptable for them, who are we to say it’s wrong?
Oh, I have no doubt I’m going to hell.
What makes a word inherently demeaning?
You mean, being aware of how the word’s been used through history? Do you really think you can predict how a community of people will react to such knowledge? What they will do about it? To me, the use of “nigger” among the black community seems like a reaction to the knowledge of its racist connotation. Like I said, I can imagine three motives to their use of the word (4 if you count Trixie’s contribution), all of which require knowledge of its racist connotations. Now I can’t say that I know these are the motives, but the point is that one can’t predict how others will respond to knowledge of the connotations words hold historically.
Are you kidding? Of course I can’t say it (though I am). I’m a white racist pig!
I don’t get it. Why would it be lying to one’s self? What’s wrong with getting over a stigma? If I build up a thick skin over people calling me “sand nigger” (for example) such that it doesn’t bother me anymore, am I lying to myself? Or have I grown above it?
Is there room for only one word?
I’m still not clear on awareness of what. I’m sure you can see how the three motives I suggested could be used to fight racism, can’t you? Especially, changing the meaning of the word.
Is it really that shocking? You do realize I actually like how the black community does this, don’t you? This isn’t supposed to be bitter grumbling (even though that’s probably how it comes off).
Sure, yeah, why not? I mean, the little girl will probably eventually learn that the term used to have negative connotations, but that’s not how children learn words. I’m with Wittgenstein on this one.