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Can we please stop using "guitard"?
- Thread starter Chris 'Wighat' Jordan
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- Oct 7, 2000
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- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
I didn't read all the responses, but want to respond.
I'm far from being a PC person, but guitard annoys the crap out of me, not for it's insensitivity, but for it's sheer stupidity and the fact that the user of the word thinks they're being clever when using it. It doesn't rhyme with guitarist, nor guitar. The "gui" isn't even pronounced like the the "re" in r*tard... how is this funny? It's just a ridiculously stupid word that supposes that the one using it is smarter somehow, than a guitarist. And I think as someone said early on, all it does is serve to separate people.
Is there anything whatsoever appealing about "guitard"? Does anyone at all still crack a smile when they see/hear it? It's an old joke that sucked, and makes you sound like an idiot if you use it. My opinion only here, of course
. And if you're someone who defends it's use, well... what can I say?
I'm far from being a PC person, but guitard annoys the crap out of me, not for it's insensitivity, but for it's sheer stupidity and the fact that the user of the word thinks they're being clever when using it. It doesn't rhyme with guitarist, nor guitar. The "gui" isn't even pronounced like the the "re" in r*tard... how is this funny? It's just a ridiculously stupid word that supposes that the one using it is smarter somehow, than a guitarist. And I think as someone said early on, all it does is serve to separate people.
Is there anything whatsoever appealing about "guitard"? Does anyone at all still crack a smile when they see/hear it? It's an old joke that sucked, and makes you sound like an idiot if you use it. My opinion only here, of course
. And if you're someone who defends it's use, well... what can I say?
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First, the term "guitard" is a humorous form of ribbing in most cases. I don't actually use it myself. I've been a guitarist for decades longer than I've been a bassist. It wouldn't bother me at all if somebody called me that. I'd assume it was said jokingly. That said, we've all known players who fit the stereotype ("I gotta turn my stack up to ten to get my toooone, bro!).
Second, regarding the supposed affront to the intellectually disabled, the problem is that it never ends. "********" was once a polite euphemism in place of earlier terms (moron, simpleton, idiot) that were judged unkind. Once it became the standard, the self-appointed champions of those so described decided that it was unkind too. Other euphemisms were offered in its place: mentally challenged, intellectually disabled, etc. Those euphemisms will be attacked in their turn, and new ones offered in a never-ending cycle. Some of us grow tired of it. I don't wish to be unkind to people with disabilities, but neither am I interested in continually amending my vocabulary every time fashions change.
The word "********" simply means "slow" or "slowed down". If anything, it's a more polite way of describing someone who is intellectually disabled, since 'disabled' implies they're completely devoid of intellect.
100% true. george carlin used to do a bit about this.. jim jefferies did too.. if i could find the links, of if they were appropriate to post (??) i would.
When I was a kid, my grandparents had a black cat, one guess as to what its name was. This was the 60's, my grandfather, I assume for other reasons, was the one to name it. If he was a racist, I sure never saw it, it was just another word for black to him... Nothing to do with this thread, just made me think about it. Words evolve...
My point wasn't what it was directly derived from, I'm saying that jumping to r*tard as the proper term for someone with special needs is wrong to begin with. Also since we're a forum of musicians, it doesn't seem out of the realm of possibilities that it could be interpreted as the aforementioned musical notation term. As I said earlier in my post as well, you could make nearly anything offensive.
I don't see the big deal. I rarely use the term, see no reason to. I too get along just fine with the guitarist in my band. We do butt heads at times and I have been known to use the term of the thread, but it's not my style. If others want to use it, so be it. Who cares?
Well, sorry, I guess the OP does.
Well, sorry, I guess the OP does.
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
Alright, I'm going to follow this derail for a second... as I've wanted in the past to ask the objective talkbass community this question. My wife and I got 2 kittens about a year and a half ago. We almost got 2 black ones. If we did, I wanted to name them Tyshawn, and Shaquan. Or something along those lines. I honestly didn't think there was anything wrong with doing that, thought it would be cute. And a little funny. She believed it was racist. She's a lot more PC than me. Curious what others think. Would that IYO be racist?
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
There was a time when black people argued for the word "negro". Then they argued against the word "negro" and for the word "black". Then they argued against the word "black" and for the term "African-American", which hasn't stuck as much because not all black people are Americans, and not all identify as African.
I heard a news story a few years ago on NPR about the term '********'. They interviewed a guy with Down's Syndrome and he said he didn't like the word. What about "mentally challenged" they asked. No, he didn't like that either. So they asked him what he thought the best term for his condition was, and he said he didn't want there to be any word for it. He wanted to be treated like everyone else. Moral of the story is, it's not the word. It's the fact that people think there is something wrong with what the word describes that makes people think it's a bad word.
I NEVER have used the term. However, its peoples right (at least here in the USA) to speak freely. If we keep going with this political correctness B.S. then eventually it'll be wrong for anyone to even state their opinion. I mean really its just words, unless its actually at a cost (war or a business deal or something with actual consequences) then hurt feelings really isn't a medium of damage we should need to hide from.
Ugh. I'm not saying we should "ban" anything. I'm just asking: please don't be a dick, and please don't argue against the accusation that you're being a dick by being even more of a dick. But, then again, no one who would need to be told not to be a dick would listen to some guy on some web forum... lol.
Honestly, douchebag is kind of a weird term too. It's not a good counter example. Think of another?
Well, folks might think you are calling your kids. As one who always has had a fondness for black cats, I've chosen names like Soot, Shadow, Zipper, Spook (because he jumped at things that were not there, not because of his coat). Problem is, after so many black cats, you start running out of names.
It's convenient for you to just say that this is just a matter of "hurt feelings." Have you ever been denied a job because people were calling you "********" behind closed doors? Imagine that, be honest with yourself, and then get back to us about "political correctness."
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My girlfriend had one of those Chinese dogs that were bred specifically for the Emperor. She named it "Tiffany". I used to call the dog "Ching Li" and would speak to it in fake Chinese. No one thought it was amusing (except me.)
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