Use of "offensive" language on the forum

[Starbuck_Jones]

Unfortunately that word right now is simply part of the gaming and competitive gaming culture and has been for a long while. About six months ago there was a lot of discussion from the e-sports community about that word and others that come up quite often during players commentary of their games while streaming as well as e-sports casters while they are doing their shows. There have been a few instances of sponsorships lost or players released from their teams over the use of certain words but most of the push has simply been in attempts to mainstream and legitimatize e-sports and help it grow.

I think that is where a lot of people get it wrong. Instead of trying to create rules or dragging everything into a censorship or freedom of speech debate the focus should be on raising the professionalism across the board. You can't have Ryan Seacrest without Howard Stern.

[Multibocks]

My thoughts on the topic are this. Would you say these things in the real world to strangers? No... then why would you say them to strangers on the internet?

I swear all the time in the real world. If they don't like it then they can stop listening.

[zenga]

Saw this and found it fitting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...=R7HbCkU_-cM#!

[Chivalrous]

Bravo Khatover.

The way I see it...
From the dawn of man rape was a fact of life for females. Just very recently, it is changing for the better--this is the best time to be alive for women, minorities, and handicapped people in most parts of the world. Yet, a boy on the Internet can still ruin a persons night by saying one word that triggers a response in their brain to recall a memory best forgotten, to panic someone who should be enjoying theirself, and this should shameful--if shame existed on the Internet, or in our communities then this wouldn't be a problem.


A real man or woman with true values and morals doesnt stoop to these vernacular lows, because he or she knows that it isn't right in a world where our brains and hearts have supposedly taken precedence over our baser instincts. The ones that do are children and must be regarded as such. Those that say "grow a pair" or "sissy!" Do not understand its not that easy to disregard a traumatic experience. It would be far easier for them to just keep their mouth shut than for a victim to be okay with being reminded everytime some stoner gets a killing blow in Arathi basin... Honestly, the world is changing. We need to change with it, and change quickly. This is all a symptom of greater problem, and that problem is we are without shame.

[Chivalrous]

I swear all the time in the real world. If they don't like it then they can stop listening.

If it we lived in the medieval ages, I could legally challenge and duel you to the death for offending me if I took your swearing the wrong way. If we were Vikings I could fight and kill you, and so long as your offense was witnessed I could get off Scott free--my point is, the world is better for you and your swearing today, maybe you should do your part to make it better for others.

I curse and swear like a pregnant sailor, but if I am in public I swear not at all--because I am aware it could offend somebody. I try to care about strangers, I often can't care, but I try. I think just being thoughtful makes you a better person. Just like peanut butter makes a cookie better.

[JohnGabriel]

My nephews were always saying stuff like "Dude thats gay!" and it took a long time to get them to stop. Whatever you learn in school sticks with you I guess.

[Oatboat]

I swear all the time in the real world. If they don't like it then they can stop listening.

Your rights end where mine begin. I'm not telling you how to live your life or how to talk, I'm just asking you to take other people into consideration. I wouldn't think this is a tough concept but it seems like its struck a nerve with some people. You're probably the guy that answers a phone call in the middle of a movie.

[Ughmahedhurtz]

On top of that a lot of non native English speakers are influenced for a large part by what they hear on TV, movies, shows, music and whatever else they read on the internet. I'm almost inclined to say that it's utterly disrespectful to expect non native English speakers to be able to gouge every context of a word. I truly wonder if most native English speakers are able to communicate at the same level in a foreign language as most non native English speakers communicate in English. And then imagine that you put an effort into writing proper language in that foreign language and someone all in a sudden calls you out in a dramatic way for using a word (and turns to be projecting his/her own idea about the usage of the word, rather than what a dictionary or linguists say).

I might grant you a general exception for the above (in fact, I'd say we do that every day; just look at ebony's posts lol!). The word "rape," though, I do not believe fits that exception. Unless you've been living under a rock, you HAD to know about the negative connotations of the term. I can't imagine this is the first time you've ever heard anyone complain about casual use, especially in a congratulatory or smiling-with-pride-for-your-accomplishments manner. And again, there are a TON of alternatives to that word, the use of any of which might have pointed you out as not being part of the 12-year-old point-and-click-warrior crowd.

It's not like we don't understand the English language is littered with pejorative landmines. It's that we (or most of us anyway) understand that certain very commonly misused words are a sign that you have made a choice with regards to your vocabulary. That choice comes with consequences. You can wail and moan and gnash your teeth that someone expressed disapproval of your choice or you can modify your behavior accordingly by either ignoring the people complaining or not using the word. Trying to make it out like you're being abused because you didn't know any better is...puerile.

[moog]

I wouldn't mix with people in real life who mis-use that word so badly as to apply it to a video game.
On here, they just go on the ignore list.

[Owltoid]

<message deleted> Not worth it - some peeps are just self righteous pricks.