I clicked on a link that said Haggar Rape. The picture loaded and I laughed. But then I thought to myself, what is actually so funny about it? What is it about rape that we are allowed to laugh at?
From one human to another, I think it's worst thing you could do to someone, man or woman. Honestly I think it's worse than murder because the person has to continue living with the consequences.
I don't know why this subject is so sensitive for me. I'm sure there are some of you who will read this and say loosen up. It's just a word. We're just joking.
But then does everyone who hears you know that you are joking? Are there people who think you are serious so they avoid you? Are there people who are younger and more impressionable? Are you making them think that it's ok? In these past discussions, I've talk about women and when they will be accepted in to a man's world such as video games. I think it's a same with words. But in this case, I'm worried that usage will make it commonplace and acceptable when it shouldn't be.
To laugh is in a way to forgive. It takes something that is maybe not so favorable but when we're able to laugh at it, we're able to accept it and overcome it. I'm not trying to stop the usage of the word, but I would like people to understand the words they choose to use, what they mean and how it could effect others.
Thanks for reading,
David
Thanks for reading,
David
15 comments:
its a two sided word. I don't think its honestly offensive unless... your doing it.
It's a word that has been made more 'casual' and accepted through playing games and saying "you got raped" etc. It's not so bad when you say it to someone who you know it won't bother I guess, like a friend you know well maybe? It's sort of like when people say something is 'gay' when something doesn't go their way or they lose at something. I see where you are coming from though David, and understand fully.
I agree with Adam. It's one of those words that have become used in our daily lives much like the word retarded. Retarded is by no means a kind word, but people use it everyday to describe things or people that they hate.
I also agree with Travis in the sense that it is a double sided word. Why is it that we can laugh at the word in one instance but then in another, we are completely appalled? The film Irréversible pretty much proves the whole point.
'Criminals thrive on the indulgence of society's understanding.'
~Henri Ducard to Bruce Wayne in Batman Returns
I don't get offended by anything because I don't let my feelings control my life. I laugh at everything, including things people would find "unmockable" or "unable to be laughed at". People always bring up the point that I wouldn't feel good if I had X happen to me, and someone made fun of it.
But in reality, I already make fun of all the things that are wrong in my life, from my father's alcoholism to my piss poor grades in school.
People just need to stop taking everything so seriously, because life is a joke.
(apologies for the double post)
And as far as what Travis says, it's not "not offensive unless you're doing it", it's not offensive unless you CONSIDER it offensive. Morality is all subjective, and people don't get that. People label certain things in society as "bad" or "immoral", but it's still all subjective. If everything in the world was preset as either "bad" or "good", every single one of us would have the exact same feelings about everything we've ever seen or done.
But in reality, if you find something offensive, it's your own damn fault. It sounds mean, but it's true. You allow yourself to be offended by something. Nobody is MAKING you feel offended, hence morality being subjective.
It's a word that has really lost it's meaning, and one that you don't really think about, or what it means, when you use it. It just gets tossed around so much; it loses its significance and just becomes part of the mainstream. If anyone is actually offended by it, it should be their responsibility to just stop themselves and step away. I don't think anyone should have to bend a certain way just to oblige a more sensitive person. You can't please everyone is the point I'm getting at, I guess.
rape
–noun
4. an act of plunder, violent seizure, or abuse; despoliation; violation: the rape of the countryside.
5. Archaic. the act of seizing and carrying off by force.
Thom: Copy and pasting from dictionary.com doesn't work--especially if you're going to omit THREE of the definitions. Swing and a miss, please try again.
I enjoyed this post. As a survivor of rape, a part of me honestly cringes and feels a little sick each time someone makes some kind of joke about it, especially in a video game context (being a girl gamer, this is rather significant/prevalent in a lot of my fandoms... sadly). To focus on 4PP, hearing people in the chat or when one of you guys say it, even in a "joking" way, still bothers me, but I don't think I have a place to say anything about it because, well, people would tell me to chill out or get over it.
No. Screw you :/
Sure, words can change and have different meanings, but that doesn't stop or take away its original meaning--especially to victims of it.
Basically I'm tired of hearing the word because I'm fucking sick of men making it into a joke. It's not. It's not at all. And I don't think telling someone to 'lighten up' changes or does anything to take away from that point.
Blah.
What Centipede said is true. Nothing is really offensive unless you yourself consider it offensive. However, that doesn't mean we shouldn't be considerate of others. We also have a part in understanding other people :) It works both ways.
I think people like to be considerate of others, and that is probably where most of the guilt comes from. We know that the word can make people feel bad, so even if the word doesn't mean much to ourselves personally, the thought of someone else out there being inconvenienced by it is what bugs us, even after we laugh at it.
If you feel bad when someone makes the joke and someone gets pissed and you had nothing to do with it, then you are probably on the kinder side of the spectrum.
I don't know what makes us giggle at jokes like that. We're just human I suppose (Iiii suppose, yah!). And humans are hypocrites :(
I think most people answered the question pretty clearly here. Rape as a video game term is often more funny than in real life because in video games the image is not meant to be seen and when it is seen people think of it as the company's "fault" so in reality i think using the word is to laugh at people's mistakes
"From one human to another, I think it's worst thing you could do to someone, man or woman."
I don't think so. I'd rather be raped then burned alive. I mean, rape is just like stealing from a person. The only thing that makes it more special is the fact we steal innocence (not a D. Gray-man reference) or the security from that person.
"But then does everyone who hears you know that you are joking?"
I don't know about you dave-o, but when I'm joking people can tell. (joking is not lying, as I can lie myself out of murder if I wanted) So if I were to REALLY talk about rape then people would know.
"In these past discussions, I've talk about women and when they will be accepted in to a man's world such as video games."
*drools* Female gamers are so cool...
"I'm not trying to stop the usage of the word, but I would like people to understand the words they choose to use, what they mean and how it could effect others. "
Doubt thats gonna work dude, "rape" is more associated in the gamer world then ever. As the 1337 (or leet) language passes on and loses popularity, words like "P0wn!" and "0wned!" become obsolete. They are replaced with real harsh language like "beat the **** down" or "******* raped".
I think kids who use these words don't understand their true meaning, and when they use them its like when you call some one who did something stupid a Retard. In truth they aren't mentally handicapped, its just a word. (I myself use retarded as a insult and not as a medical condition, for that I use handicapped)
Do kids understand what the term rape really means? or is it so desensitized that they think it's a funny gamer term?
Rape is a serious crime and can destroy not just one persons life because of it but a whole family. I know, I've been in that situation and the people in my support group that I attended. You do learn to cope with living after the event, but you certainly don't forget.
I watched an Indian film called Water (2005), directed by Deepa Mehta, one of the stories is about a girl who becomes a young widdow, and how they are forced into poverty, prostitution and social outcasts. It's very sad, moving film. Many women that I have talked to feel like social outcasts, their life ruined by it and I suppose without( I hate to sound so religious) my faith, I too would of been unable to cope.
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Digitalis
Beautifiers: Here was I, thinking that the numbers four and five would have made it fairly obvious that I wasn't trying to 'conceal' the more commonly used definitions of the word, but merely highlighting the alternate meaning along with a deprecated one. Guess I should account for the more temperamental among us in future.
As you know many gamers use the alternate meaning of raped, ie taken by force, despoilation etc - However I really doubt that any over the age of 12 (who have moved past the potential shock value of the word) would ever think of it in its other context. "Wow bro you just got unlawfully compelled into sexual intercourse against your will"? Please. Try to be a little more impartial.
As Centipede pointed out, theres no merit in getting yourself up in arms over a word with multiple meanings just because one has relevance an event in your past. Why be a perma-fuming ragemachine your whole life just because you can? Surely it'd help you to move on if you didn't allow yourself to be offended by a words alternative definition.
Basically everyone has experienced the depressing nature of mortality through a friend or a member of their family passing away, so I guess every time someone makes a joke about death, cancer or disease we should go apeshit? Don't think so.
Maybe some of us just have better things to do than be angry. :\
Why do you assume that I'm ~perma-fuming~ over anything? I'm expressing dislike. That's it.
How foolish of you to assume that I'm getting up in arms over alternative definitions:
the Point
your head.
Or so it would seem.
Lastly, it's strange that you'd also suggest that I went apeshit. I'm not going to apologize for not putting my reaction through a filter that wouldn't make it easier for you to accept it. I deal with the ridiculous use of that word in my (fandom) life, so why can't you just deal with my reaction not being mellow enough to your standards?
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