Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

ziq wrote

On raddle it just means "All cops are bad". See f/memer's background.

4

Majrelende wrote

That word is so vague to be meaningless, and if you look up its etymology, it is obvious why it is problematic.

4

yaaqov wrote

I mean, I think the harm in saying ‘bastard’ comes from the fact that it still currently holds both of its meanings, no? The term’s equation of assholery with being born out of wedlock arises as a result of both meanings still being used... something like ‘bad’ only means, well, bad, today, as vague as that is. ‘Bad’ isn’t ‘bæd’. ‘Bastard’, however, still does work in maintaining patriarchy, even as its meaning is bleached and generalized in other contexts.

Were we to try to avoid words that had ever meant something oppressive, we’d: A) miss a lot, because etymological knowledge has a lot of gaps, (and drops off entirely a few thousand years ago) and B) have to not use half of the words we do know the etymologies of. Just the word ‘wife’ literally means something like “c*nt”/“shame” if you take it back far enough, for example. A thousand other innocuous words meant something shitty 150 or 500 or 2000 years ago.

I try not to use words like ‘bastard’ or ‘st*pid’ not because of what they used to mean, but because of what they still do.

6

Majrelende wrote

The etymology may be somewhat irrelevant, but the word is basically an instruction to hate something without any clear reason which is disguised as a statement.

4

yaaqov wrote

Sure, I don’t disagree. Though, I did hear someone make the point that the intention of ‘ACAB’ is to be provocative, and thus start a conversation by virtue of its perceived unfairness. I guess ‘bad’ could do that? I don’t know

3

sand wrote

ye Majrelende probably didn't mean too far back in the etymology. good point tho

4

hiitsme01 OP wrote

Ye, I've seen this a lot too. I feel like it loses some emphasis, but I think it's a worthwhile price to pay. All cops are, indeed, bad.

3