Stickin' A Dagger Into Dogmatism

The last couple of days I have talked about language.

I have discussed the allegedly “offensive” uses of the words, retarded and gay.

Let’s get into the crux and impetus of the matter of said “offensiveness” today, shall we? Cool.

Let’s take a look at the word, “cunt”…

“Oh, no he didn’t?!!” some of you just said. Pfffffft. Big deal. You know where the word comes from?

Cunt means, vagina or vulva, etc. It is clearly derived from words of such from many ancient Indo-European, Hittite, Sanskrit, and Latin-based Romance languages.

Even Chaucer used it in a well accepted sense in, The Canterbury Tales (The Miller’s Tale, line 90, "queynte") to describe the vagina.

It’s been around for centuries, but exactly what happened?

Someone (some cunt, no doubt), decided along the way (and in lieu of brevity I am not going to get into the details) that the word, in spite of its history and etymology, was a derogatory term for a woman.

Whatever…

Most women I know do have a vulva, but if that upsets you…Have at it, but most men want it, you control it, and you’re not enjoying the full power of your cunt.

Now, let us turn our attention to the word, “nigger”. “Haaaaaaaaaghast. No he didn’t!!?” Yeah, I said that.

This word comes from Latin (niger) and a Spanish derivative (negro) meaning black. It was, for centuries, not a derogatory term.

It referred to dark-skinned people, mainly Africans. But guess what happened?

Someone, decided along the way, that the term, in spite of its history and etymology is a derogatory word for people of dark skin and/or African descent.

Whatever…

I know…I know…But “black” people aren’t all black or “niger”, some will say.

Yeah, well white folks aren’t all white. Some are pasty white, and some are more of a peach color or variations thereof.

Whatever…

It’s just a general description, people!! Does that really annoy you? If it does? Have at it, and revel in your racial superciliousness.

Listen, I am not advocating the use of the aforementioned words, but try this…

If a person calls you a cunt, just laugh and say, “Yeah, I have one and you’ll never get it.”

If someone calls you a nigger, just laugh and say, “Damn, I am black. You’re not as stupid as you look.”

My point is this…

Derogatory terms are only derogatory if we give them credence in that way. If one believes in him or herself these words shouldn’t have any effect.

In fact, if someone directs either of these terms at you in an angry sense, you probably don’t give a shit about that person anyway.

People who use terms in an attempt to elicit an angry response are a prime example of this adage:

“The greater the ignorance, the greater the dogmatism.”

If we react in an angry way towards the slings and arrows of those types of slurs, we devolve into a level of their ignorance, especially if their words are baseless.

(In fact, I’d rather be called gay, retarded, a dickhead, or a son of a bitch, rather than be referred to in a more mundane yet concrete way as someone who doesn’t care, is lazy, or is selfish and uncaring.)

If however, we believe in ourselves, walk away, and without response, realize that we are good people…

Over time, those words used in a derogatory fashion will lose their effect, and much like the original meaning of those words, will fade into the past.

Cheers!!