Confused about possible censorship

Community General Discussion
41

I genuinely don’t feel that context is important in that kind of case. Context is important when one is referring to an object or mechanic as ‘retarded’ versus when one is referring to a person as ‘retarded’.

The term itself has negative connotations. I don’t feel that the same can be said of Carebear, or for that matter, potato.

I’m not one to fall back on the ‘get thicker skin’ argument, but if being referred to as a starchy tuber offends someone, then perhaps they should consider putting the peeler down and letting theirs grow back.

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42

Of course context is important but I’ve seen people throw the carebear term around on the forums without it being derogatory, as you might see in your guild banter you mentioned.

People on forums ignore context all the time when they flag posts.

43

I’m not sure if you just aren’t up with the times but calling someone a potatoes is the new in insult instead of using retarded. Again the word used isn’t important it’s the context. If it is being used to poke fun or denigrate a person or group it could be seen as trolling.

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44

I just don’t think we’re going to agree on this. There are things that you do not say to or about a person. Commentary referring to the content they engage in or their gameplay ability without insulting reference to other aspects of their person (re: Intelligence, Ethnicity, etc.) is simply not offensive in any way.

If calling someone a potato is offensive because one is insulting their ability to play the game, at what point do we start actioning statements such as, “Well, you may just be bad at the game,” as being trolling?

45

This is literally the part where the context is relevant. When the word potato gets thrown around in that kind of discussion, no one is talking about starchy tubers.

3 Likes
46

I’m currently getting the 3rd degree and am receiving much scornfulness with my emoticon power from some concerned forum dwellers.

Ya it’s getting pretty bad, and am not caring about being banned too much because I would be better off not associating with these kind of people with the power to silence you because they have issues with pixels… which they do… seriously. Just like old forums … posters can ban you. Simple. Flawed system. They rely on posters to do the work for them, and need “votes” for them to go through with bans.

and if i get banned, i never wanna hear about “free speech” again from anyone.

Again, I think i’m wasting my time even being in a “community” that can’t even joke around or enjoy them self… must be fun at partys.

47

That doesn’t make it an insulting term. It refers to someone who lacks skill in a given field, usually gaming. Are we now stopping anyone from speaking who questions the skill level of another player?

48

I know from experience that emoticons are powerful indeed. Stay away from the one that looks like a poo.

49

I think we both know that someone who calls another person derogatory names is not having meaningful discussions about skill floors/ceilings. You’re being intentionally obtuse – I hope.

1 Like
50

And I think that if someone is having a discussion about high key M+ runs or PvP and someone who has no experience in either decides to make an offhand and blatantly incorrect statement about the subject being discussed, they should be prepared to have their lack of skill/experience pointed out.

I’ll grant you that it’s significantly better to simply say, “Well, you have no experience in the content being discussed and/or aren’t very good at the game based on your parses, so what you say on the subject doesn’t carry much weight,” but most people don’t tend to be that verbose and usually fall back on words that express that without having to type quite so much.

51

What does this even have to do with the WoW forums?

52

Lots of people don’t seem to know what free speech actually is or what the first amendment actually does. They think any form of censorship or moderation is a violation of free speech.

4 Likes
53

Which is fine as long as those words are not insults.

54

FYI - I may have joked with you in the comments about being insulted (thats why I added the smiley), but I did NOT flag you.

I dont have to agree with speech to think someone has should have the ability to say it.

55

When did say i deserve free speech here?

I said i don’t to hear about it, ever again.

Nice try though?

Wow is everybody a forum cop all the sudden? Believe me… I’ve had to educate even people from America on how free speech actually works before here on these forums, it is pretty bad…

56

Okay, so let me see if I can understand what’s being driven at here.

How are the two following statements different?

• You really don’t have any business discussing this topic, as you have no experience in Arena/RBG above 1200 rating.

• You really don’t have any business discussing this topic, as you only do carebear content.

Both say the same thing, and yet the word choice in the latter is offensive somehow?

57

I disagree with the idea that carebear is not derogatory. I assume you are correct as to its origins but I have seen it tied to the derogatory term SJW often on the forums as well as in discussions that have nothing to do with PvP. Word meanings change over time and apparently this one has.

2 Likes
58

‘Insult’ is completely subjective.
The flagging system has allowed hordes of whiners to grey out your speech. At least we know to check those posts first :wink:

59

Preeeetty sure the derogatory word in such conversations would be ‘SJW’ itself rather than Carebear.

60

So you can’t think of words that are used as insults to describe certain groups? Also you are completely ignoring that the word carebear is used as a derogatory term for the group you are describing.