There’s a clear campaign against the mentally ill with the global rise of fascism. Lots of it shows up in anti homeless rhetoric, but you can see it in the MAHA and anti vaccination movements.

There’s no reason to use the word “r-tarded” to describe someone. As someone who’s worked with the intellectually challenged, it’s an insult to them to compare them with people who are willfully ignorant.

  • ziltoid101@lemmy.worldEnglish
    214·
    11 days ago

    I find it difficult to imagine a future in which humans aren’t making fun of impaired cognition.

    I think the context is what’s most important, if anyone actually directs such language (be it retarded, idiot, etc) towards people with genuine mental impairment, that constitutes a slur. But the word ‘retarded’ literally means ‘slow’, and is still regularly used (including by myself) in scientific and technical contexts (compared to racist or homophobic slurs, which are only ever really used in a ‘slur’ kind of way).

    I wouldn’t really have a problem with calling people ‘slow’ in jest, and I don’t think many would. Imo if not ‘retarded’, it’ll be something else with the same meaning.

    • JackbyDev@programming.devEnglish
      1·
      11 days ago

      That doesn’t really work as an argument when slow is also used as a euphemism for people with mental disabilities. Saying “it literally means slow, I’m calling them slow” just makes it sound like you’re still being ableist. I don’t believe calling someone slow as an insult is ableist, I’m only saying that the train of thought feels goofy. Like, “oh? You weren’t trying to use the slur usage of the word and were using the technical usage? The technical usage that means slow? Another word people use as an insult and a euphemism for the exact same kinds of people and scenarios as the other one?”