[quote]Expressing concern about the “growing public outrage” over the use of such words in rap lyrics, Simmons said the words “bitch,” “ho” and “nigger” should be considered “extreme curse words.”
“We recommend (they’re) always out,” Simmons, the pioneering entrepreneur who made millions of dollars as he helped shape hip-hop culture, said in an interview Monday. “This is a first step. It’s a clear message and a consistency that we want the industry to accept for more corporate social responsibility.”
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Apparently, Russell Simmons wants to change the whole hip-hop culture from the outside in. Banning ‘bad’ words will surely result in a fundamental change in the attitudes of the people who would use them, right? Works every time.
Ban “ho”, end sexism.
Ban “nigger”, no more racism.
It’s amazing that we haven’t thought of this before…
Yes, a common problem of incorrect thinking individuals. Call it something else and the problem goes away.
People just need to get a grip and get over being offended. I am offended all the time. Every time I read a news story I feel like my inteligence is being insulted. I say we ban the news.
That’s the most foul mouthed violent shit I have ever seen.
[quote]Cunnivore wrote:
Expressing concern about the “growing public outrage” over the use of such words in rap lyrics, Simmons said the words “bitch,” “ho” and “nigger” should be considered “extreme curse words.”
“We recommend (they’re) always out,” Simmons, the pioneering entrepreneur who made millions of dollars as he helped shape hip-hop culture, said in an interview Monday. “This is a first step. It’s a clear message and a consistency that we want the industry to accept for more corporate social responsibility.”[/quote]
Extreme curse words? How about double secret probation words? Better yet, we assign a color coding scheme so that people can clearly identify the magnitude of the badness of the word being used?
Russell Simmons is the man! In the ‘being held back by ‘the man’’ sense.
[quote]Cunnivore wrote:
Apparently, Russell Simmons wants to change the whole hip-hop culture from the outside in. Banning ‘bad’ words will surely result in a fundamental change in the attitudes of the people who would use them, right? Works every time.
[quote]LIFTICVSMAXIMVS wrote:
The market doesn’t lie.
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If we suppose that banning these words will reduce the “-ism” problems associated with them, then we must conclude that their abundance in current popular music has contributed to the creation of said problems, yes?
Maybe we should ban all lyrics about committing crimes while we’re at it. And any song expressing hatred for police or authority figures is out too.
The odd thing is that the popularization of these words actually diminishes their power. Offensive words lose their meanings as they become more commonplace.
White people are no more inclined to be racist because they hear the n-word used casually. They may be more likely to use the word because of its perceived acceptability.
Really, the people who want to restrict use of offensive words actually want to cordon off a separate space for their group; a space where they are still a part of a special category that is justified for being offended.
[quote]Cunnivore wrote:
LIFTICVSMAXIMVS wrote:
The market doesn’t lie.
If we suppose that banning these words will reduce the “-ism” problems associated with them, then we must conclude that their abundance in current popular music has contributed to the creation of said problems, yes?
Maybe we should ban all lyrics about committing crimes while we’re at it. And any song expressing hatred for police or authority figures is out too.[/quote]
I see a difference between the use of the word “nigger” and the use of the word “nigga” as it is in rap, etc. These are two different words with two different meanings thought the latter is certainly a cognate of the former.
I am not for banning words and in general am against anything remotely resembling politically correct speech. I elect not to use certain words because I am a professional and I want to be taken seriously by my peers–something most rappers don’t need to deal with.
My comment at the market was a jab at entrepreneurs (specifically Russell Simmons) who might be afraid of loosing business because of all the hub-bub surrounding this politically correct time-bomb waiting to explode.
I see a difference between the use of the word “nigger” and the use of the word “nigga” as it is in rap, etc.
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I don’t.
Is that a distinction that would be afforded me if I were to walk down the street referring to strangers as “niggas”? Unlikely.
It’s been argued that there are “differences in culture”, but at the end of the day, all of us - and our respective “cultures” must share a single country and a single world. I think it would be to everyone’s advantage to agree upon a single standard as to what is offensive and what is not. As it relates to the Imus uproar, would his words have sparked the same reaction if they had been said by a black commentator? I might be wrong, but I kind of doubt it.
I honestly don’t think that the PC-Speak bandwagon is as big as he thinks it is. I understand him wanting to “get in front of the wave” as it were, from a business perspective, but if he really thinks that this episode will make the industry (or the culture, if you prefer) suddenly wax introspective, then he might be a bit naieve.
If he really wants to make a change for the better, I think that restricting speech is the wrong way to go about it.
[quote]Cunnivore wrote:
As it relates to the Imus uproar, would his words have sparked the same reaction if they had been said by a black commentator? I might be wrong, but I kind of doubt it.
[/quote]
That is because there are too many ignorant people (mostly media whores) who don’t understand language and how it evolves. Ignorant black leaders like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton use the negative meanings of these words from history to promote social/political agendas.
I have never heard the word “nigger” come out of a black persons mouth unless they are mocking white people–“Nigga” on the other hand, I hear at least a dozen times a day.
There are a ton of words that used to have negative connotations that are commonplace today just like there are words that used to be innocuous that are now considered offensive. The question is when does it become appropriate to use and not use such words?
Now, for some reason it’s not okay for me to utter the phrase, “My, that is quite the queer hat you have donned today.” Gays get offended.
White people are no more inclined to be racist because they hear the n-word used casually. They may be more likely to use the word because of its perceived acceptability.[/quote]
I agree with you nephorm. If a white person hears the n-word used in casual and regular conversation, they feel it is okay to say it.
One of my professors said he was in the gym locker room one time, and three black guys were talking amongst themselves. He said they used the n-word every few words. One of their friends (who is white) walks up to them and says ‘what up n*****’ in a casual way. The black guys get mad and say ‘you can’t use that word’ and the white guy says ‘why not? you use it all the time, why can’t I? You call me cracker, which I find offensive, why can’t I use n****?’
Eliminate the words and we eliminate the possibilty of thought-crime.
We should also narrowly define every word so that there are NO hidden shades of meaning.
Also, words of 5 syllables or more have been shown to stimulate certain parts of the brain which leads to thought-crime!
To be a proper citizen of Oceania, we must all learn the artful means of speaking: duckspeak. Only when every one of use quack like a duck when speaking will we be truly free!
[quote]Headhunter wrote:
We must all learn the artful means of speaking: duckspeak. Only when every one of use quack like a duck when speaking will we be truly free![/quote]
[quote]Mick28 wrote:
Just like you can call your brother (as in your mothers other son) any name you want and he takes it well, because he knows that you care and…you’re his brother. In other words, no harmful intention is really meant.
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I call my friends fuck-wads all the time but I wouldn’t say that to someone I didn’t know. We call that tact. My wife and her friends freely call each other bitches all the time…but if I said that to my wife…
Normally we know how and what is approriate speech to use in public and with our peers. There really is no need to ban words if poeple would think first. But hey, sometimes a mutha-fucka needs to be offended and in that case I say let loose.
[quote]pookie wrote:
Headhunter wrote:
We must all learn the artful means of speaking: duckspeak. Only when every one of use quack like a duck when speaking will we be truly free!
Quack off and die, dumbquack motherquacker!
Just testing…
[/quote]
LOL!
Let’s here it for Quacknadian independence from Canada!
Eliminate the words and we eliminate the possibilty of thought-crime.
We should also narrowly define every word so that there are NO hidden shades of meaning.
Also, words of 5 syllables or more have been shown to stimulate certain parts of the brain which leads to thought-crime!
To be a proper citizen of Oceania, we must all learn the artful means of speaking: duckspeak. Only when every one of use quack like a duck when speaking will we be truly free![/quote]
Wait a sec…isn’t it okay to curse, as long as it’s at Goldstein?
Eliminate the words and we eliminate the possibilty of thought-crime.
We should also narrowly define every word so that there are NO hidden shades of meaning.
Also, words of 5 syllables or more have been shown to stimulate certain parts of the brain which leads to thought-crime!
To be a proper citizen of Oceania, we must all learn the artful means of speaking: duckspeak. Only when every one of use quack like a duck when speaking will we be truly free!
Wait a sec…isn’t it okay to curse, as long as it’s at Goldstein?
[/quote]
Well, according to the principles of Doublethink, its okay to swear at him as long as you restrict yourself to Goldstein doubleplus ungood, or something similar.
Rosie O’Donnell is a team member on developing the 11th edition of the dictionary btw. She got the word LesBitch banned.
