[Molybdenum]

Who suggested the word be banned?

Many people compared the word to "gay", "retard" or "Jew" in that figurative use of it should be condemned. 

I think criminal offenses should not be made taboo since that hinders society's defend against them. Banning the casual, figurative use of a word just because it makes some feel uneasy is uncalled for since it leads to making the whole topic a taboo.

This isn't about banning anything. This is about raising awareness that what you may see as normal, day-to-day language may have connotations that you haven't thought of (especially when said language is filtered through the great decontextualization machine that is the internet), thus coloring other people's perceptions of you in ways you may not want.

OK I concede. It is a bit far-fetched to connote the uneasiness caused by usage of a word in internet context to with the social paranoia surrounding the topic. 

[ShadowWolf_IH]

I don't think it should be banned, I think that people should police themselves in its use.  I also think that some people need to grow up and actually think, but since that won't happen, i see little hope for the former.

[General Battuta]

Who suggested the word be banned?

Many people compared the word to "gay", "retard" or "Jew" in that figurative use of it should be condemned.

I do think it should be condemned when it's used as a casual insult, just like these other words. But social sanction against its use isn't the same as legal action against its use.

[deathfun]

What I'm seeing from deathfun is typical behavior. This is a classic part of the cycle in pedophilia callouts (not that I think he's a pedophile, but it's a similar mechanism at work). The accused first argues against the terms of the accusation, then, once they realize that everybody believes they're an awful human being, falls back on what's termed the puppetmaster defense: i just did it to start arguments/troll/run an experiment. dance, puppets, dance

Oh you know me so well
And yet fail to notice that I've
A) Said the opposing argument is right and I'm wrong on several occasions (see our previous argument of whether or not FreeSpace would make a good TV show, FreeSpace being able to be playable on console and being able to be binded to a controller)
B) Admitted to being stupid, ignorant, and have no idea what I'm talking about (see previous posts in this thread)
C) Continue to argue anyhow

I've never been right, and I doubt I ever will
Won't stop me from arguing pointlessly for personal amusement

That, and I didn't start the argument (being one of your options) and nor do I troll. I entered one, chose a side, defended it poorly (as per usual), came to yet another conclusion of being in the wrong, etc etc

[Mikes]

There are a very few topics where I am not willing to compromise. Downplaying rape is one of them. Sorry.

It wasn't a matter of compromise. It was matter of going off into that whole silly digression about "if you get raped".

While certain trends in view are definitely strong after an event like that, you crystal-balling deathfun's response and saying "YOU'LL BE SORRY YOU EVER HAD THIS THREAD" is probably one of the least-helpful, least-intelligent, and least-interesting things in this thread. There's a good reason nobody else chimed in for that bit.

(It's because it was dumb and unless you yourself are a rape victim you had no business going there. Even if you are, you would hopefully be wiser than to go with the "hurr I scaer you hurr you'll be sory" methodology. No human being over the age of seven has ever been convinced by it. One might as well have a conversation with someone who goes to church and tell them "you're a sinner, you should stop".)

Saying "If i get raped I won't change  at all" is obviously a quite idiotic thing to say.  I do believe people need to called out on stuff like that.

I don't know where you get all the hate in your post or how you read the "you'll be sorry you ever had that thread" notion in mine...  but do you really want to tell people to ignore such idiotic comments about rape? That's what causes part of the problems surrounding rape in the first place. Not calling people out when they downplay rape and it's consequences. Ignoring all that "silly talk". Letting it slide because they just don't know better.

What I'm seeing from deathfun is typical behavior. This is a classic part of the cycle in pedophilia callouts (not that I think he's a pedophile, but it's a similar mechanism at work). The accused first argues against the terms of the accusation, then, once they realize that everybody believes they're an awful human being, falls back on what's termed the puppetmaster defense: i just did it to start arguments/troll/run an experiment. dance, puppets, dance

Oh you know me so well
And yet fail to notice that I've
A) Said the opposing argument is right and I'm wrong on several occasions (see our previous argument of whether or not FreeSpace would make a good TV show, FreeSpace being able to be playable on console and being able to be binded to a controller)
B) Admitted to being stupid, ignorant, and have no idea what I'm talking about (see previous posts in this thread)
C) Continue to argue anyhow

I've never been right, and I doubt I ever will
Won't stop me from arguing pointlessly for personal amusement

That, and I didn't start the argument (being one of your options) and nor do I troll. I entered one, chose a side, defended it poorly (as per usual), came to yet another conclusion of being in the wrong, etc etc

Deathfun, the issue is more that, by defending the lighthearted use of the word "rape", you make yourself a part of the problems that surround actual rape.

[deathfun]

Getting raped would benefit me more regardless
Instead of being seen as the lonely depressed tool who ended up jumping off the bridge, I'd have a dignified reason

This isn't supposed to help my position
This is me digging even deeper

[jr2]

deathfun, knock it off.  Getting all depressed doesn't solve anything.  If you aren't happy with yourself, well, change.  It's not easy, but I would say that how you think plays a major part in how you are.  How to change how you think?  GIGO.  Garbage In, Garbage Out.. so take out the trash, surround yourself with friends and acquaintances who are a positive influence and who you would like to become more similar to.  You can't change the past, but you can definitely alter the future.  You can't control everything, but you can definitely control your slice of the pie, so to speak.

Now, if there are circumstances beyond your control, well, be patient, bide your time... but when the time comes, change.  (I'm speaking if you are in a situation where people are a bad influence, and you can't help it: they are your parent(s), or teacher(s), or everyone in your school.  Although even in that situation you can still attempt to be a positive influence, do your part.)

[deathfun]

It was dark humour...

Edit: @Kaj below me: Legitimate discussion of the topic I've found to have actually ended several pages ago
Everything I've said from that point hasn't been much more than a town drunk babbling

[karajorma]

Getting raped would benefit me more regardless
Instead of being seen as the lonely depressed tool who ended up jumping off the bridge, I'd have a dignified reason

This isn't supposed to help my position
This is me digging even deeper

You do realise that at this point that you're not digging anything cause we all realised a while back that you're basically attention whoring rather than actually discussing anything, right?

[The E]

Everything I've said from that point hasn't been much more than a town drunk babbling

Enjoy your day off.

inb4 complaints: It's just dark humour. Moderator style.

[karajorma]

Well the police throw the town drunk in the cells to let him cool off all the time.

[Klaustrophobia]

16 pages.  jesus christ. 

i'm almost tempted to actually read it all now.   almost.

it took me a long time to commit to posting this, but i'd just like to submit the outsider's point of view that EVERYONE participating at this point has crossed over the ridiculous line.   if nuke hasn't already done so, i'm slapping the stamp of wank on this one.  for what it's worth.

[General Battuta]

Why? Nuke thinks it's a good thread, it's been a productive discussion. There hasn't even really been an argument.

The worst part about this thread has been people coming in who haven't read the thread and assuming it's a flamewar.

[NGTM-1R]

for what it's worth.

Absolutely nothing, since that proves you haven't got a clue what's happening.

Saying "If i get raped I won't change  at all" is obviously a quite idiotic thing to say.  I do believe people need to called out on stuff like that.

It is a grand pity that's not what he said, then, yes? He said "I will still hold my opinions" not "I won't change". Changing behavior is inevitable, perhaps, but humans can be remarkably stubborn in holding on to their stupid ideas.

It's a also a pity you feel the need to backpeddle so fast you're tripping over yourself. I didn't find hate in your post, just stupid argumentation. (Although responding to someone by calling them juvenile and inexperienced could be considered hateful.) I find no fault with your goals, but your goals are negated by your methods; "if this happens to you", "someday you'll learn that", etc.

As I said, what you did was as wise as walking up to a churchgoer and telling them they are a sinner. It was as smart as telling a teenager not to have sex and then recounting the terrible fate that will befall them if they catch AIDS. It was as useful as a gore-filled video about drunk driving shown in a driver's ed class. It was as effective as stressing the importance of not having traditional sex to a class of highschoolers while not talking about all the other fun things two people can do.

In other words it was probably true insofar as it went, and yet due to its presentation it accomplished nothing positive, had no impact on the person it was presented to, and probably inspired a backlash in them and any bystanders. It was remarkably crass and insensitive in its own special way, both to rape victims whose traumas you are invoking against deathfun, and to deathfun himself; it engages with him on the level of a seven-year-old threatened with a spanking, which I'm pretty sure he's not. It attempts to intimidate him into changing his viewpoint with a long list of bad things, rather than appealing to rationality or even really emotion.

[Mikes]

It is a grand pity that's not what he said, then, yes? He said "I will still hold my opinions" not "I won't change". Changing behavior is inevitable, perhaps, but humans can be remarkably stubborn in holding on to their stupid ideas.

Don't split hairs over semantics. He referred to his use of the word rape and so did I.

It's a also a pity you feel the need to backpeddle so fast you're tripping over yourself. I didn't find hate in your post, just stupid argumentation. (Although responding to someone by calling them juvenile and inexperienced could be considered hateful.) I find no fault with your goals, but your goals are negated by your methods; "if this happens to you", "someday you'll learn that", etc.

As I said, what you did was as wise as walking up to a churchgoer and telling them they are a sinner. It was as smart as telling a teenager not to have sex and then recounting the terrible fate that will befall them if they catch AIDS. It was as useful as a gore-filled video about drunk driving shown in a driver's ed class. It was as effective as stressing the importance of not having traditional sex to a class of highschoolers while not talking about all the other fun things two people can do.

Whatever backpedaling there is must be happening in your vivid imagination which also brings up those ridiculous comparisons.

We are not talking about having sex. We are not talking about drinking. We are talking about the thoughtless use of a word.
Don't be ridiculous and pretend that activities that have clear needs and motivations attached to them are in any way or form comparable to using or not using single words.

The whole point is that to the person who uses the word it isn't a big deal. If people who surround them would make it a big deal ... that behavior will stop rather quickly.
You know... I actually do have experience in dealing with kids of the age 14-20. As far as appropriate vocabulary in social settings is concerned it really is that easy: You overhear/ignore things... and things get worse.
You call people out when they use obscenities ... and it stops. There are always people who are aggravated by the use of bad language, but few of them speak up "first". Once *someone* speaks up however, it's usually the potty mouths who quickly find themselves a minority among their peers.

In other news... in case you haven't noticed, the thread is over and Deathfun has turned out a self proclaimed first rate troll.
So if you do have all the answers... then what would you say to person who trolls about the word "rape" for fun? Enlighten me. Show us how it's done.

[The E]

Deathfun has turned out a self proclaimed first rate troll.

Meh. 2 out of 10.

Enlighten me. Show us how it's done.

I invite you to read the thread again. It, in its entirety, constitutes your answer.

[LordPomposity]

the thread is over

Thanks for letting us know. I'm still finding it quite informative.

[Nuke]

16 pages.  jesus christ. 

i'm almost tempted to actually read it all now.   almost.

it took me a long time to commit to posting this, but i'd just like to submit the outsider's point of view that EVERYONE participating at this point has crossed over the ridiculous line.   if nuke hasn't already done so, i'm slapping the stamp of wank on this one.  for what it's worth.

i wouldnt really call it wanky, i reserve the stamp for when people are more interested in winning a debate than understanding the issue. though i must admit the last few pages have been a game of whack-a-troll.

[FireSpawn]

Ah, we're back on the downward spiral. Well, the civilized and intelligent discussions were enjoyable and informative at least.

[karajorma]

Fastest way to get on the downward spiral is for people to start posting about it.

Next post better be on topic and about the actual subject matter rather than some stupid meta-discussion.