Wikepedia states

“Much like today’s socially acceptable terms idiot and moron, which are also defined as some sort of mental disability, when the term retard is being used in its pejorative form, it is usually not being directed at people with mental disabilities. Instead, people use the term when teasing their friends or as a general insult.”

Is it only a slur if directed at soneone with mental disabilities? Is it a slur if durected at onself?

Whats lemmies take on this?

  • EABOD25@lemm.ee
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    2 months ago

    Words like moron and idiot can be used as generalized insult. They can be offensive, but it doesn’t refer to a certain person or people. Moron and idiot are both defined as being stupid and stupid is defined of lack of intelligence or common sense. The word “retard” refers to people that have mental retardations. The individual person can control being stupid, but they can’t control being mentally retarded.

    • Welp ur half right here is what doctor duck duck go says :

      moron /môr′ŏn″/

      noun

      A person who is considered foolish or stupid.

      A person of mild mental retardation having a mental age of from 7 to 12 years and generally having communication and social skills enabling some degree of academic or vocational education. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive.

      idiot /ĭd′ē-ət/

      noun

      A person who is considered foolish or stupid.

      A person of profound mental retardation having a mental age below three years and generally unable to learn connected speech or guard against common dangers. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive.

        • But ull still give me a downvote for copy pasting the actuall definition cos u where incapable of fact checking urself.

          Welp seems we can also use ur argument for retard as well, so not only are you half wrong you argument proves me full right.

          retard

          noun

          Retardation; delay. Similar: retardation delay

          A mentally retarded person.

          A person who is stupid or inept, especially in social situations.

          • EABOD25@lemm.ee
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            2 months ago

            Whoa whoa whoa. Slowdown. I didn’t downvote you. I actually forgot to vote at all

            And you’re insinuating that I’m a retard because I downvoted you? Take a day from lemmy friend. We all get worked up and I believe you’re worked up

              • EABOD25@lemm.ee
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                2 months ago

                Don’t call yourself that. And that I disagree because those other words can be used to justify a generalization while “retard” is not a generalized word.

                And I’m just going to assume what you said is an apology, but you haven’t been able to figure how to comfortably apologize to people online. Apology accepted

          • bastion@feddit.nl
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            2 months ago

            I think you may be misunderstanding your “victory” here. I suppose that’s pretty contextual, when it comes down to it.