Huh? I didn't call you "not the brightest bulb”, that was projection on your part and I am sorry for miscommunicating. What I meant was that these are the thought processes that spring to my mind when I hear someone using these phrases. I also explained a little bit of the underlying thinking on my side. This was my attempt of showing you my side of how I think about this.

Also: just because these thoughts spring to my mind doesn't mean I deterministically from now on think that person is stupid etc. I had my best friends use these words in an unreflected way.

My mistake - after rereading your comment I understand what you were saying.

I agree with you actually - I generally find overuse of profanity in real life leaves a bad impression on me too.

I just think the wsb context is a bit of a different thing and the word use in some contexts is fine.

It's also likely some of this is colored by other related word policing I find to be more stupid, (like saying 'on the other hand' is ableist). I have a general bias towards not policing words.

> I think there’s a difference between using the word to target someone who is disabled and using it the way it’s used on wsb.

Try being a white person and using the n-word in any context at all. Apart from an incredibly narrow set of contexts, it's deeply offensive and will be called out as such. Joking with your other white friends isn't one of the acceptable contexts.

I agree with you.

I don’t think the use of the word retarded is the same.

If it's not exactly the same, it's very similar. It's a slur, used by members outside a group, defined by birth, to insult them and discriminate against them.

I could see how someone could hold the position you do, I just don’t agree with it.

You’ve picked out the similarities, but have ignored what I would argue are more important differences.

I suspect we’re not going to agree on this, so probably okay to just leave it here.